I can't say enough good things about grilled cheese sandwiches.  What's not to love about melted cheese pressed between crisp, buttery bread?  And what's even better than that, with a little creative thinking you'll find there is a lot more to a grilled cheese than, well, just cheese. 

With this in mind, I'm going to share my top 3 favorite grilled cheese recipes.  One is a bit more traditional, while the other two push the boundaries on the conventional cheesy sandwich many of us have grown up with. 

I'll start with the standard route. 

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Number 1: Classic Ham, Tomato and Cheddar Cheese
Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes

What you'll need
4 thick slices of fresh bread (your choice -- sourdough, french, tuscan etc.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato diced
1 cup diced ham
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Directions
1. In a medium skillet melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
2. Top bread with tomato, cheese and ham.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the top of the bread loaf over the tomato, cheese and ham.  
4. Add both sandwiches to the skillet.  Turn heat down to low and cover. 
5. After about 2-3 minutes lift the sandwiches up with a spatula and check to see if the bottom side of the bread is golden brown.  Remove sandwiches from the pan when one side of the bread appears toasted and place on a side plate.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet; melt.
6. Add sandwiches back to the skillet and brown the other side.  Remove from pan when the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. 
7.  Slice and enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Number 2: Mexi-cheese Sandwich
Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes

What you'll need
4 thick slices of fresh bread (your choice -- sourdough, french, etc.)
1 avocado, diced
3-4 tablespoons salsa
jack cheese, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
2. Top bread with avocado, jack cheese and salsa.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the top of the bread loaf over the avocado and jack cheese.  
4. Add both sandwiches to the skillet.  Turn heat down to low and cover. 
5. After about 2-3 minutes lift the sandwiches up with a spatula and check to see if the bottom side of the bread is golden brown.  Remove sandwiches from the pan when one side of the bread appears toasted and place on a side plate.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to skillet; melt.
6. Add sandwiches back to the skillet and brown the other side.  Remove from pan when the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. 
7.  Slice and enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Number 3: "Capre-chessy" Sandwich 
Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes

What you'll need
4 thick slices of fresh bread (your choice -- sourdough, french, etc.)
1 cup fresh mozzarella, shredded or sliced
2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
2. Top bread with tomato, cheese and basil.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the top of the bread loaf over the tomato, cheese and basil.  
4. Add both sandwiches to the skillet.  Turn heat down to low and cover. 
5. After about 2-3 minutes lift the sandwiches up with a spatula and check to see if the bottom side of the bread is golden brown.  Remove sandwiches from the pan when one side of the bread appears toasted and place on a side plate.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to skillet; melt.
6. Add sandwiches back to the skillet and brown the other side.  Remove from pan when the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. 
7.  Slice and enjoy!

Be sure to check back on Sunday for next week's complete dinner menu plan, which will include a grocery list of everything you'll need to cook along with me.  Have a great weekend everyone!