This zero-dollar trick works every time.
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My grandmother made theworlds best grilled cheese.
She served them to me with Cape Cod chips on the side and a tall glass of chocolate milk.
Simply Recipes / Getty Images
It was as heavenly as it sounds.
Now that I’m in my mom era, grilled cheese sandwiches have a new meaning.
They are my ultimate default dinner.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Too busy to actually cook?
Soccer practice until 8 p.m.?
No food in the house?
There is always bread, butter, and some kind of cheese in the fridge!
And when I’m in a rush, most things go sideways.
I start with the best of intentionsa heavy-bottomed pan, nice sourdough bread, cultured butter, and agedcheddar.
What could go wrong?
Frankly, a lot.
And while even a bad grilled cheese is pretty tasty, try telling that to a toddler.
One day, I realized that all I needed was a little steam, specifically an ice cube.
(I swore I’d never do this, but alas!)
It works like a charm every timethis trick yields a nicely cooked juicy burger with ooey gooey melted cheese.
Luckily, this dinner-time gamble paid off big time.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting and shimmy the sandwich to one side of the pan.
Immediately cover the pan.
My children can now have beautiful golden brown grilled cheese filled with melty cheddar cheese.
No overcooked or burnt bread in sight!
Though I’m constantly cutting the sandwich the wrong way, according to my capricious toddler (the horror!
), at least now I know Im making my grandmother proud by carrying out her grilled cheese legacy!
