Of all the stupid reasons to go visiting friends with young children, grilled cheese sandwiches are probably the stupidest of them all, but still the best. Sure, I do treasure all of those toddler rituals of playing dressing up, dumping everything out of Aunt Sarah's purse, playing hide-and-seek and watching out the window for the ice-cream truck. But just as much as I like doing all of this, I also love my tea time, especially when all the mother's start yelling out to their kids (" Who wants some?") the loudest voice in the whole 'me' chorus is always mine. Most of the childless adults on the other hand (the ones that I know), don't even bother making these sandwiches at home. Most of them don't have the required ingredients in their refrigerators (American singles, white bread). And isn't why a grilled cheese sandwich, along with all those tuna melts, the turkey clubs, and breakfast specials, the reason why they invented diners? Grating Your Cheese You don't need to slice your cheese, when you can grate it. This would ensure that you have gooey and evenly melted cheese in every single bite that you take. The more the merrier - When it comes to using cheese, you can be a little generous and not scrimpy. Use half a cup of cheese for every sandwich you prepare. Gently pat the layer of grated cheese atop the bread slice, so as to attain a neat layer of cheese that won't fall off. Welcome the Ooze Don't fret if the cheese starts to ooze from your sandwich; before grilling your sandwich, pinch the ends of the sandwich using a little oil on your fingertips to keep the cheese intact. The toasted, burnt cheesy bits at the bottom of the pan can be scraped and dusted over the sandwich. Type of Bread to Use Don't assume that white bread is the only way to go. If you prefer whole wheat, focaccia, or multigrain bread varieties for instance, feel free to experiment with any sort that you desire. Size Matters Thick bread will hold your cheese sandwich beautifully, and since you're grilling the slices, the stiffness should provide enough hold to help you eat it without making a mess. Flatten the Bread If you're using a traditional grill that folds into half, then flattening the sandwich yourself won't be necessary. But if you're doing it over a grilling pan, use a wide spatula to gently flatten it, to help the cheese weld the two slices together. This gives it a compact, cheesy encasement that provides a clean bite. Crispy Bread Slices You don't have to use butter to achieve a crispy texture for your sandwich, where a little vegetable or olive oil will do the trick. While butter adds a new dimension of flavor to absolutely anything, calorie-conscious eaters can use healthier alternatives, like nut oils. Let the pan heat up just a little bit before pouring in a tablespoon of oil. Drop the bread slice into it and wait for about two minutes before flipping it over. Thicker bread will need more time, where you can test its crispiness by gently prodding its surface with your index finger, while it is still in the pan. If you aren't happy with what you feel, then continue to brown it further. Traditionally, a cast-iron skillet is an all-time favorite, but a nonstick one still holds first place when it comes to avoiding sticky and flipping matters. Cover the skillet while cooking the first side, to allow hard cheese varieties to melt better than its soft companions. The best sort of cheese to use for grilling are Parmesan, Mozzarella, Halloumi, and other stiff or semi-soft cheese varieties. Soft cheese is great too, except it lacks the robustness of a good hard cheese. To give it a unique twist in flavor, generously shower any kind of dried herb over the cheese layer, before grilling the sandwich. Ingredients 8 slices of bread, sourdough 6 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated 2 tablespoons butter Procedure Butter one side of all the 8 slices of bread. Place 4 of the slices on the work surface, and make sure the buttered sides are facing down. Spread the cheese uniformly over the 4 slices. Then, place all the remaining slices on top, with the buttered side facing upwards. Stovetop Method Heat a large skillet over a medium flame for about 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches on the skillet and then cover it and cook for another 2 minutes until the undersides of the sandwiches are golden brown and the cheese has just about begun to melt. Uncover the skillet and then turn the sandwiches over with a spatula and press them firmly down in order to flatten them. Cook for about a minute until the undersides turn golden brown. Now turn the sandwiches over again and press down with the spatula and cook for 30 seconds more or until the cheese has completely melted. Serve it immediately. Sandwich-maker Method Preheat your sandwich maker and then follow the direction when it comes to assembling the sandwich. Cook according to the instructions given. Gas Grill Method With oil, brush the grill rack and then preheat it to a medium-high temperature. Once again, follow the directions given for sandwich assembly. Put your sandwiches on the grill and then follow the given instructions. Try any of these methods and see how amazing your sandwiches come out! Keep practicing and one day, you'll master the recipe and make fantastic, cheesy sandwiches.