Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese

By KSTP

Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese

Antigoni Sander shows us how you can get a warm meal on the table and keep the mess to a minimum at the same time.

Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese
Makes 4 – 6 Sandwiches Per Sheet Pan

Ingredients
Softened Butter
Favorite Sandwich Bread (not too thick)
Cheese Slices; 2 Slices Per Sandwich

Great Cheeses For Grilled Cheese
Cheddar, Swiss, Pepperjack, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Gouda, Brie

Add In Options
Sliced Ham, Turkey, Salami, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Baby Spinach, Arugula, Roasted Peppers, Any Type of Mustard, Spicy Mayo, Sliced Apple, Pear, A bit of Jam, Apple Butter, Pumpkin Butter or Fig Spread

Tools
Baking Sheet
Parchment or Tin Foil
Spatula

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F and set rack in bottom third of the oven.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil – this step isn’t necessary but super helpful for clean up!!
Lay slices of bread on the baking sheet; most baking sheets will have room for 4 – 6 sandwiches. Spread each slice of bread generously with softened butter, making sure you cover the entire slice. Flip the bread over so that the buttered side is on the pan. Next add your cheese to the unbuttered side of the bread and add any other filling you might wish to have on your grilled cheese. Keeping in mind that a light layer of any additional filling is perfect, too much will get in the way of the cheese melting and won’t warm up quickly enough in the short baking time. Finally, butter the top slice of bread, and add the second slice to your sandwich with the buttered side facing up.
Once all your grilled cheeses are built place the baking sheet in the oven. Cooking time will vary based on how hot your oven gets. The grilled cheeses will need 8 – 10 minutes in the oven total. Set a timer for 4 minutes, remove the pan and check the bottom of your grilled cheeses, if they are lightly golden, flip them over and put the pan back in the oven for another 2 to 3 minutes, check at this point to decide if you need another minute or so in the oven or if they are ready!
When your grilled cheeses are cooked to the perfect doneness take them out of the oven and slide them on to a cutting board. Slice in half and serve with Tomato Soup, of course!!

Tomato Basil Soup
Makes About 1 Gallon

1 Tbsp of Butter
1 Tbsp of Olive OIl
1 Large Yellow Onion Diced
4 Cloves of Garlic Chopped
2 Shallots, Chopped
1 1/2 Cup White Wine
28 oz. Canned Diced Tomatoes, Pureed in Blender or with Immersion Mixer
28 oz. Caned Diced Tomatoes, Not Pureed
32 oz. Tomato Juice
12 oz. Heavy Cream or Half and Half
1 Heaping Tbsp Dried Basil
1 Large Handful of Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped, About 1/2 Cup
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Black Pepper

Directions
1)        Over a medium flame heat Olive Oil and Butter in a large soup pot.
2)        Add Onions and Shallots and Sautee until translucent, about 5 minutes
3)        Add Garlic and continue to stir until fragrant, about 1 minutes
4) Pour in White Wine and deglaze the pan, stirring up all of the dark flavorful pieces that have stuck to the bottom
5)        Add the Pureed Tomatoes, the Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Juice and Dried Basil. Bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
6)        At this point if you like a smoother soup remove the soup from the heat and puree it in a blender in batches or puree it in the pot with the immersion blender, until it has reached your preferred consistency.
7)       After pureeing the soup, return it to the stove and add the Heavy Cream, Salt and Pepper, and slowly bring the soup back to a boil for a minute or two.
8)        Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the fresh basil and serve!