Easy, cheesy goodnessOver here at NyMinuteNow.com, at least half of my posts are food-related. I can't help it: While I've never gone to chef school or anything fabulous like that (it's still a distant dream of mine to be able to attend the French Culinary Institute in New York City...on full scholarship), food—and the creation of food—is very close to my heart. Ever since I'd put two and two together that it's cheaper and immensely enjoyable to go to the supermarket and whip up my own fare, the kitchen has been one of my favorite places to be in.
When I’m not watching Giada de Laurentiis or Ina Garten whip yummy, yummy things—I, of course, am only too happy to copy—on Food Network, I'm online checking out Alton Brown's Good Eats episodes.
I got the perfect grilled cheese recipe from one of these YouTube uploads. Basically, it shows you how to spread dijon mustard on a slice of bread (just on one side), grate cheese over it, add salt and pepper, cover it with another slice, and then press onto two hot, lightly-buttered pans.
If you happen to own a panini press, I suggest we become friends.
I've made mine using a sandok, pressing the sandwich down as flat as I could with a big peppermill on top of the utensil (you can also use a big can of corn to do this) and flipping the sandwich back and forth—like that scene in The Devil Wears Prada wherein Adrian Grenier’s character is standing by the stove, making a Jarlsberg cheese sandwich.
I usually accompany my sandwiches with a big pile of Nacho Cheese Doritos, but this time, I've 'kicked it up a notch' by lightly oiling a small bowl, grating fresh parmesan cheese over the bottom—forming a circle of cheese—and microwaving it for about a minute. You'll know it's done when the kitchen smells funky. What you end up with is this crispy, delicious, knock-your-socks-off accompaniment to a classic, comforting grilled cheese sandwich.
Finish this off with an icy glass of iced green tea or lemonade. And for dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with sliced almonds sweetly caps a truly delightful meal (or midnight snack)!
Tell me: What’s your favorite comfort food? What ultimately makes you salivate?
Part of this month's Cosmo Series, 14th of 16 posts also published at Cosmo.ph.
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Hi Ms Mariel! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I know how to work it in the kitchen; I'm hopeless! Half of the past year I spent living on my own consisted of not having dinner because I'm sick of fastfood and instant noodles :D Salvation came when Lucky Me! made their own version of instant baked mac and mac and cheese. I'm telling you, it is love! :D
Hmm, I am not really big on food (my father used to joke that if made to choose between a book or food, I'd pick the book anytime). But I do get weird cravings out of the blue, especially when Aunt Flo is due to arrive any day soon. My comfort food generally consist of candies and other sweet treats, like Skittles (it is my ultimate favorite EVER! I call these my happy pills), sour gummy worms, chocolate sunflower seeds and chocolate rocks (Candy Corner is the best :D). I also love vanilla ice cream with a Snickers bar. Yum! And leche flan, and buko pandan, halayang ube.. I should be thankful that diabetes does not run in the family :D
Oh man. Grilled cheese. *drool* I'm still on the quest for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. My current one that comes close right now is a mix of grilled cheese and French toast--meaning, I coat the bread slice in beaten eggs and pretty much grill them in a pan sizzling with butter.
ReplyDeleteIt's my favorite breakfast. Haha.
But I have to say, the ultimate comfort food would have to be mac and cheese. Nothing beats mac and cheese. :D
Ooh! Sounds delicious—both the cheesy french toast and mac and cheese! I see cheese being the common denominator for all comforting food :D
ReplyDeleteKrissy, wow! Your comment by far is my most food-filled one to date :) I also used to buy chocolate sunflower seeds and chocolate rocks! I see we like the same things (at Cold Stone/Cold Rock, I always order the vanilla ice cream with snickers bar...and I think choco mallows or oreos).
ReplyDeleteOoh! During those early days at my old apartment, I ate Lucky Me Pansit Canton all the time, so now I can't eat it anymore hahaha!
I am going to try out all these during the weekend. Stress relief from 10 exams since last week and a perfect way to motivate myself for the last two on Monday! (I'm also going to see if our old panini press is still working.) :D
ReplyDeleteOoh you have a panini press! How lovely :) Enjoy the melted and crispy cheese, and good luck with the exams!
ReplyDeleteThe panini press was a hand-me-down from my grandmum when I went to live in a dorm for high school. :) I hope it still works, my mum stashed in somewhere in our kitchen.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this suggestion! I'm now trying to conjure good breakfast sandwiches for my next semester, which I hope would be less toxic than the current one. :D
You're welcome! And thanks for reading :)
ReplyDelete