Hold Your Horses

Sorry for the late post everyone.  I know it seems as though the narrative arc of my cooking adventure is in a stage of decline, but never fear.  I am as committed as ever. 

After getting home from the Texas School Leadership Summit (which was absolutely amazing), I had more desire to fire up my teaching than to fire up the stove.  So sue me.  But I've returned today with something TRULY magnificent and uber-easy.

It is... my mom's grilled cheese.  DON'T LAUGH.  It's gourmet grilled cheese and absolutely melty-delicious.  Recipe below.  One important note: Choose bread that you can toast like a panini, so bread with thick crusts on the outside are not ideal.  You can pair this amazing sandwich with any of your favorite tomato bisque recipes.  If you lived in a city, you could pick up delicious tomato soup from your favorite restaurant.  I might have done that if I lived in a city.  Or you could have cooked your own.  That would have been my chosen option if I had my mom's accompanying creamy tomato soup recipe, but alas it is missing from the adorable recipe book she made for me when I moved into my own place (a truly lovely Dalton tradition).  A lot of the tomato bisque recipes online look hard, and you have to make a roux which is another one of my epic weaknesses (see 2010 attempt to make Beer Cheese Soup, a total disaster that ended in a pile of 6 cups of hardened cheese on the bottom of some beer-broth).  So I bought Campbell's.  Yep.  I did it.  And you know what I made for lunch?  Just a salad.  I ADMIT I AM TAKING SHORTCUTS.  But I added some delicious balsamic grilled onions.  For those, just put some balsamic and sugar in a pan, and cook red onions in the mixture until the balsamic is reduced and onions are nice and dark. 

So, long story short... there's some good stuff in here but I'm a little disappointed and it's okay if you are too.  Next week, I'm really going to outdo myself and impress the pants off of you.  Just you wait.  Maybe it'll be Beer Cheese Soup.

OMGC (Oh My Grilled Cheese)
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. seasoned salt (that's a real thing, you can buy it)
10 slices Italian bread, 1/2 inch think
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.  Stir in cheeses, garlic powder, and seasoned salt.  Spread 5 slices of bread with the cheese mixture, about 1/3 cup on each.  Top with remaining bread.  Butter the outside of sandwiches; cook in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.  Serves 5.