Grilled Cheese Please

One more cookbook down in my cookbook countdown...

Grilled Cheese Please by Laura Werlin.

Werlin says: Say grilled cheese and the memories of a childhood indulgence, the first cooking lesson, a bowl of tomato soup or  the aroma of melting cheese comes wafting into consciousness.

She is right!  It's all those things.  Especially for me, the tomato soup reference. We always  had on a cold winter night, some grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup!!

It's a comfort food!  

There are tons of good ideas to spice up your grilled cheese sandwich in this little cookbook.

I  have bookmarked about 12 sandwiches I really want to try right away.  Sandwiches with meats and cheese, veggies and cheese --and interesting one with Havarti and balsamic-glazed carrots-- even some great regional favorites.

But first  I thought I would just go with the old standby:

Classic, but with a Twist.

How can one go wrong with a 'classic' grilled cheese sandwich?

The twist?  Bacon and onions. 

It was a great sandwich.

We love bacon and onions!  

The onions in this recipe were not cooked, so there was a crisp and crunchy oniony flavor with every bite.  

The Handyman and I loved it!

This is number  65 in my cookbook countdown.

Classic Grilled Cheese with a Twist

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced

8 slices of bacon

2 T. butter at room temperature

8 sandwich-size slices sourdough bread

8 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated ( I did not do this--just used slices)

8  1/2 inch thick tomato slices.

salt

Fill a medium bowl with very cold water.  Place the onion slices in the water and let sit for 15 minutes and up 1 hour. Drain and pat dry.  Set aside.

(note:  I didn't do this, I just sliced and put them on the sandwich.)

Cook bacon in a large non-stick skillet until crisp.  Drain on paper towels. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, but do not wash it.

Spread butter on one side of each of the bread slices.  Place the 4 slices of bread, buttered side down, on your work surface. Distribute the onions over the bread, followed by half the cheese and the tomato slices. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little bit of salt.  Put the remaining cheese and 2 strips of bacon per bread slice.  Top with remaining cheese slices, buttered side up.

Heat the skillet again over medium heat.  Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover and cook for  3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten slightly.  Cover and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until golden brown.  Remove the cover and turn the sandwiches once more.  Press firmly with the spatula and cook for  1 minute, and remove from pan.  let cook 5 minutes.

Cut in half and serve.