Ah, fire cheese. It’s how my 2 year-old nephew refers to all forms of delicious melted cheese, whether he finds it in quesadillas, on pizza or in this case, a grilled cheese sandwich. This here recipe isn’t much of a recipe. Rather it’s some weeknight inspiration for getting food onto the table – quick! We made 2 versions tonight: one with apple and sharp cheddar; the other with tomatoes, spinach, fresh basil and parmesan. Both were devoured.

Ingredients

• Whole grain sliced bread
• Cheese of your choice, grated (go crazy and use multiple cheeses in 1 sandwich)
• Thinly sliced toppings of your choice (try pears, apples, tomatoes, smoked tofu, spinach – the options are endless)
• Butter or margarine, optional

Preparation

1. Haul out the under-used waffle iron and set it to medium heat. Meanwhile, assemble your sandwiches. If using butter or margarine, lightly spread on the outside of the bread.
2. Place your sandwiches in the waffle iron and squeeze the lid shut. Let cook until the top and bottom of your grilled cheese is golden and crispy, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove from the waffle iron and serve with a side soup, salad or sliced fruit. But be careful! The deliciously cheesy inside is HOT – hence the term fire cheese 🙂

Thanks to my fave magazine, Real Simple, for providing the inspiration. I can’t wait to re-purpose my other rarely-used kitchen appliances.