Y’all, yesterday my oldest niece moved into her dorm to start her freshman year at the University of Florida. (We’ll put aside the fact that we Seminoles now have a Gator in the family! We’re just happy she’s happy.) So tonight, in solidarity with Taylor’s burgeoning college career, I got in touch with my student-cooking side and whipped up some vegan grilled-cheese sandwiches, complete with tomato soup alongside. And to top things off, yes, in the photo you’ll see that I’ve used several broken taco shells as tortilla chips. Why not?
Grilled-cheese sandwiches have been a mainstay in my kitchen for as long as I’ve been cooking. I think I made my first one when I was about 11 or 12, and the tradition has continued right on through college and well into adulthood (or, in our case, “adulthood” since LeeLee and I don’t really act like adults most of the time). Now that so many great vegan options are on the market – melting vegan cheese! What a concept! – we more often than not whip up a vegan sandwich instead of the dairy variety. And we don’t miss a thing in the process!
So tonight I pulled out my trusty Panini press and let it heat up while I prepared the sandwiches. I set out two pieces of bread, coated each slice with a thin layer of Just Mayo, then placed a slice of Daiya cheddar on each piece. Next, I cut a tomato into thin rounds and put them across one side of the bread, and finally added one more slice of cheese – Follow Your Heart provolone this time, for variety – before putting the other slice of bread and cheese on top. Do that double-time, and you’ve got two sandwiches!
Then I put the sandwiches in the Panini press and waited about 8 minutes or so for the cheese to melt and the bread to toast. (I always cook my grilled cheese at a fairly low heat so the outside doesn’t finish cooking before the inside does!) By that time, the soup (store-bought, I hasten to add) had finished heating up in the microwave, so I pulled my taco-shells-turned-chips together too and got down to the business of dinner.
There’s just nothing like a good old grilled-tomato-and-cheese sandwich! The flavors are so simple and so wonderful, and they’re the perfect way to tie up the loose ends of a busy Monday.
Here’s to our niece Taylor – may she enjoy many a grilled cheese during her time in Hogtown!
:)