Some of my favorite bloggers not only are great storytellers, but they also share favorite recipes with everyone who visits their sites. “Lynz Real Cooking” has amazing ideas and Lynn writes candidly about her family life (she has 9 children) and the many years she spent with them in Saudi Arabia. Lynn has begun to share her recipes on YouTube. This is a real benefit for someone like me who needs to be taken by the hand and led step by step through the cooking process. I’m an avid follower. (Warning: There is a big, sharp, scary knife that shows up in some of her videos. Novices (like me) should really stick with a much duller cutting tool. Just sayin’) http://lynzrealcooking.wordpress.com
From Algarve, Portugal comes M’s blog, “Devaneios de Chocolate” (Dreaming of Chocolate). Along with her other site, “Backyard Tours – Finding Algarve”, she’s taught me much about the Portuguese Culture. And M provides all of the meals and desserts for the Algarve Tours. Obviously, she is an extremely busy woman. http://devaneiosdechocolate.wordpress.com
I’ve learned quite a bit about food from both of them, however, my own cooking skills need a lot of practice and improvement. So, this week I’ve decided to follow their example and attempt my own Food Post. In honor of them I call it
Devaneios de Real Grilled Cheese
This will not surprise those of you who know how strongly I feel about getting the grilled cheese recipe right. It is my own original recipe; the one I used to earn my first girl scout badge for cooking. Feel free to copy it or pin it to your Pinterest Board.
Ingredients:
2 slices of the flattest, whitest bread you can buy
2 slices of pale, flat, yellow cheese – You can find it at deli counters everywhere. (Warning: Beware of the FAKE Cheese” Food” sold in the dairy section. Using FAKE Cheese “Food” will result in a sandwich of less-than-standard quality. Read your labels carefully! Make no concessions!)
1/2 stick of real butter – you can find this in the dairy section next to the FAKE Cheese “Food” already discussed above. (Warning: Beware of the “I Don’t Believe It’s Not Butter” FAKE Butter. It is NOT Butter. Using “I Don’t Believe It’s Not Butter” Fake Butter will result in a sandwich of less-than-standard quality. And you can believe me.)
Steps:
Turn on one of the burners (Note: Electric stoves will not have a blue flame like the one pictured here) Position your frying pan on top of the burner.
Add 1/2 stick of real yellow butter into the pan. This will eventually melt and when the butter is almost to the sizzling point (listen for a sizzling sound), you can add in your sandwich.
While butter is warming, place two pieces of flat, white bread on a plate (preferably a plain white plate so as not to compete with the final sandwich presentation.)
Cover each piece of bread (crust on) with a slice of pale yellow, real cheese. Try to make sure the cheese does not droop over the sides of the crust as this will result in some of your cheese turning brown in the frying pan due to over melting to the point of actual burning.
By now you should hear a sizzling sound telling you it’s time to add in your separate sandwich parts. (Warning: do not put the 2 parts of your sandwich together yet, but lay them separately next to each other in the pan.This will insure that each side is completely slathered in real melted butter.)
With a spatula, carefully lift one of the sandwich parts and place it on top of the other. Make sure the cheese is facing down and melds with the cheese on the other piece of bread. Also, be careful that the two rounded edges and the two squared edges are matched up.
Check to see if the bread is browning by picking up one edge of the sandwich with a spatula and peeking at it every so often. (Warning: do not use your fingers for this step. Just sayin’)
When one side is a dark golden color, slowly slide the spatula underneath the sandwich and carefully flip it to the other side. (Warning: do not use your fingers for this step)
Put something heavy (Warning: Do not use your good steam iron. Just sayin’) on top of the sandwich and press down, allowing some of the cheese to ooze out. This will result in a nice, flat, finished product easy for cutting and serving.
Remove from pan and serve on plain white plate.
Additional notes on cutting and serving:
I usually cut my sandwich into four square portions (see photo) but my husband Charley is more obsessive traditional and likes his sliced on the diagonal. (see photo) You can further cut the diagonals to form four smaller triangles. (Cut to suit) Deeeelish!
I prefer a side dish of potato chips but you may use any of the following: pickles, assorted fruit, candy corn, kitty treats and salted crickets (the last two were added in at the request of Roxie and ZuZu who are also grilled cheese aficionados.)
Note: Marzipan, Marmite, Vegemite and any other foreign substances condiments beginning with “mar” or ending in “ite” may be substituted in the British Isles.
I suggest pairing with seasonal drinks such as apple cider in the fall, lemonade in the summer and hot chocolate during the colder months.
The more “literary” segment of this post is dedicated to my friend Osyth who lives in le Cantal, France and once owned a Cheese Shop in the Berkshires (England, not New England, Berkshires) Her blog, “Half Baked in Paradise”, holds much joy and centers around food, travel, the French countryside and her wonderful musings. http://osyth.wordpress.com
Here is the cheese ditty I composed for “The Mystery of the Squeaking Birdhouse” which I wrote along with my young friend, Nolan. I’ll include it in the context of the story:
“What’s a mouse doing in a bird house, Gramma?” I asked.
“Well, the birds that used it have probably headed to Florida. Snowbirds, you might say. And the mouse has found itself a nice, warm nest to settle into for the winter, Nothin’ better than recycling an unused bird house, I always say.”
I had never heard her say that around me, but decided not to correct her, since she was spooning warm chocolate pudding into our bowls.
“I’ll give you some cheese to bring to him the next time you go outside. Even a mouse can appreciate a thoughtful house-warming gift, I always say.”
Again, I had never heard those words come out of her mouth. Or anyone else’s for that matter.
She began to sing a little tune that, obviously, she was making up on the spur of the moment. Across the table, my sister and brother were laughing and clapping and singing along.
A mouse in the house, a mouse in the house
Bring some cheese to the mouse in the house
Cheddar, Gouda, Brie and Blue, bring some cheese and the mouse will thank you
Stilton, Swiss, Havarti and Jack, you won’t find a tastier snack
Ricotta, Fontana, Mascarponeeee, sure goes good with macaroneee
Provolone, Cream and Gorgonzola, wash it down with Coca Cola
Cottage, Goat, Prosciutto and Feta, eat some cheese, you’ll feel much betta
Parmesan, Muenster, Mozzarella, we think cheese is really swella
Fortunately, the cheese song abruptly ended when my grandmother, a true cheese aficionado, couldn’t find a word that rhymed with Stinking Bishop….
Author’s note: Please feel free to pair these lyrics with any tune you think appropriate. Suggestions are welcome.
Roxie feels that I should be working on my brand and has suggested I create my own YouTube Video “Don’t Make Me Poison Your Food” starring her. (Warning: Roxie has a strange, vaguely sadistic sense of humor; potentially lethal like Lynn’s big, sharp scary knife. Just sayin’)
Snorting delicately here…
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so sweet to mention me!!!! I love the whole post and how you mentioned different friends!!!OK I am not buying crickets to go along with that amazing sandwich! I love your directions, you are adorable and gorgeous!!, just sayin!!! Love Lynn
LikeLiked by 3 people
Of course I’d mention you. You are my favorite cook of all times. Julia Child, Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, eat your hearts out! Love, Clare
LikeLiked by 1 person
ha ha your so sweet!!! and gorgeous!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You really do have great taste! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
ha ha ha thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was beautiful! I truly did laugh out loud at several points! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The kitchen is not my favorite room!
WE leave an opened first aid kit on the counter! Thanks C.J. Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a rousing post. A lovely meal, a poem and a cute mouse too. 😁I enjoy Lynn posts too. Good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jacqueline, Not sure about “lovely”, but it has been described as “Tongue-in-Cheesy”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
;-);-) with all the slabs of cheese in between
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! 🙂
LikeLike
Thanx for all the tips- I need all the help I can get!!
Sounds so yumm!
Roxie has a good idea. I like slightly sadistic humor!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hopefully, you don’t really need the tips I offer, because I am a terrible cook! This will be my very last food post unless I decide to write my 132-step process for creating the perfect peanut butter sandwich (133 steps if you insist on using chunky). There isn’t enough room or patience in the blog world for this. Luckily, most bloggers have a keen sense of humor!(not necessarily sadistic, though)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lol!! I need to read that recipe! I might be doing it wrong!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Depends on how you cut it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
hee hee 😉
LikeLike
Who has time to cut it???
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, very good point – And another option! I’ll have to do a revision…..
LikeLike
I love the ditty Clare!
Now a word about that big knife … keep it out of the way. That Roxie is one spunky girl!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Only 22 cheeses mentioned, but I may add to it in the future. Yes, Roxie needs careful supervision. I’m never sure what she will think of next! This certainly will be my only “tongue-in-cheese” Foody post. I’ll leave that to the experts in the future. Although I do have a 132-step process for making a peanut butter sandwich. Thanks, Robyn….Clare
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear! That beats my efforts by a 130 steps.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, but do you roast the peanuts and toast the bread ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds a little too sophisticated for my meager skill level
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never underestimate the power of a woman who gardens!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! Go girl!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a fabulous post (and not just because you have been far too kind talking about Little Miss Me,Me,Me) I fell about laughing (though The Bean reminds me that the cats should not be laughed at and that Cat Treats are a perfectly sound garnish for grilled cheese … or in her case dog treats, preferably the bacon kind) and I am now slavering quite unflatteringly and snorting undecorously! Roxie’s You Tube Channel surely has legs … you could have two one for ZuZu too – the sweet and the sour so to speak. Now off to dream of grilled cheese and sing your Grandma’s song 🙂 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Osyth. Only 22 varieties of cheese included in the ditty. Your father-in-law would have been a big help with those lyrics, I think. Sleep Tight. Clare & Roxie & ZuZu, too
LikeLike
Big big like Clare! Funny post, ahaha 😀
I just loved the recipe, “Devaneios de Real Grilled Cheese”. You just gave the first step in the kitchen. With practice, you’ll be, one day, an extraordinary cook or baker!
Thank you for talking about my blog and Backyard Tours 🙂 you’re, truly, from my heart, a especial person!
Big kiss from Portugal, Algarve
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, I thought you’d like it. Your blog was one of the first I read in Blogging 101 and I’ve been following it ever since. I will probably never do another food blog again. I’ll leave that to the experts like you and Lynn, both very special people to me. Hugs and kisses from Me and Roxie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post and very amusing. I can relate to kitchen woes. Lynn has the kitchen mastered. Now, I feel the urge to have a grilled cheese sandwich.
LikeLiked by 1 person
With chips, a pickle and apple cider. I’m making lunch right now and you’re invited. Clare
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll be right there – at least mentally.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Virtual Table is set. Have a seat and I’ll pour you some freshly pressed cider.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and I enjoyed it. You are a very gracious hostess.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it’s lunch time and I marching into the kitchen, shoulders back, head up, spatula in hand, confidence ouzing out like melted cheese…and gonna try your grilled cheese sandwich…thanks for the first aid advice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just don’t use the big, scary knife! (Just finished my grilled cheese lunch – I made it in the microwave SHHHHHH!)
LikeLike
Margo, I’ve been reading your posts, but there’s no like or comment buttons that I can see, so – I love your funny posts and your junk, especially Liberace! Clare
LikeLike
You are hilarious, such a fun read! I usually smush the grilled cheese with my spatula once I’ve flipped it, but I butter the bread, put the cheese between, grill one side then the other. I rather like the way you do it putting the butter in the pan instead…hmmm. I love Lynn’s blog, she has the most fantastic recipes and super stories too, such a lovely woman and busy!! I must confess I use the FAKE cheese but it’s made with REAL milk…how bad can it be??? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yikes! Fake cheese?! I hear it causes hot flashes! (Going to visit your blog a little later.) Thanks for stopping by…Clare
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my if I had only known when I was a kid, I’ve been eating it for a LONG time, uh oh…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know what you mean. I’d never have started smoking at age two if I knew then what I know now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
This truly is a great ode to the cheese sandwich. Love the pictures. Nom nom.
LikeLiked by 1 person