April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month: Tips for Making the Perfect Grilled Cheese

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Home Care in Manassas City VA: April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month: Tips for Making the Perfect Grilled Cheese

People have been eating bread and cheese for centuries. In fact, cookbooks from Roman times pair bread and cheese. Although no one knows for sure who came up with the ingenious idea of grilling a cheese sandwich, the grilled cheese sandwich is believed to date back to the 1920s. Because grilled cheese sandwiches are inexpensive to make they were very popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Grilled cheese sandwiches were also a favorite among soldiers in the Allied forces during World War II. Today you can find grilled cheese sandwiches on restaurant menus and they’re practically a staple in American homes.

 

If your mom or dad enjoys cooking, but needs some help with it, this might be just the right month for them. Grilled cheese sandwiches are not only delicious, they are also simple to make, so your parent can cook them with just a little help from you or a home care provider.

 

Grilled Cheese Basics

Most people know the basics of making a grilled cheese sandwich: just butter two slices of bread, put some cheese between them, and put the sandwich in a pan to brown on both sides. But, not everyone makes grilled cheese the same way. Food Network recommends that the butter be melted in the pan rather than putting it on the bread. The folks at epicurious.com think mayonnaise is a better option than butter. There’s also some debate about the best kind of bread to use. Some say sourdough is best, others say brioche, and Food Network even suggests trying waffles instead of bread. Whatever you decide to make your grilled cheese sandwiches with, here are some tips so that they come out just right every time.

 

  • Don’t turn the heat up too high. Cooking your sandwiches on a lower temperature lets them come out golden brown with perfectly melted cheese inside.
  • Keep the cheese slices thin or consider grating the cheese so that it melts evenly.
  • Avoid hard or dry cheeses that don’t melt well.
  • Use enough fat so that the bread comes out crispy and toasted to perfection.
  • Don’t put so much cheese in that the sandwich becomes hard to eat because the cheese oozes out the sides.

 

Grilled Cheese Variations

Since it’s National Grilled Cheese month, how about being adventurous with your sandwiches and giving them a little extra pizzazz with some added ingredients. Here are a few suggestions for add-ins:

 

  • Bacon and tomato
  • Ham
  • Ham and pineapple
  • Pizza sauce and pepperoni
  • Pastrami and swiss cheese
  • Caramelized onion

 

There’s really no limit to what you can put on a grilled cheese sandwich. Encourage your parent and their home care provider to have a creative cooking day and experiment with different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches. Who knows, they might just create a new family favorite!

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring a professional home care in Manassas City, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care. Call Us Today at (703) 369-6677. Serving Northern Virginia, The Valley, and Surrounding Communities

 

Sources:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-grilled-cheese

http://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-grilled-cheese-sandwich-recipe-article

http://www.thekitchn.com/5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-making-grilled-cheese-224299

 

Julie McCormick, Co-Owner