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Casserole/ Vegetarian

Haluski – Fried Cabbage, Onions, and Pasta

On the Menu tonight – Haluski!

What in the world is Haluski? It is a traditional Polish dish made of cabbage, onions, and egg noodles. In my version, I used farfalle (bow-tie) pasta because it’s prettier.

The last time I made this was during Christmas time a few years ago. My brother suggested we make something different for Christmas dinner. We decided on a Polish theme since our grand parents were of Eastern European decent. The only Polish dish I’d made was Stuffed Cabbage. After some research, I decided to make Haluski. It was FANTASTIC!

Now that it’s getting cold, I decided to make it again. Now, I’m sharing the recipe with you. Two tips – 1) Good butter and lots of it. 2) Lots of freshly ground pepper. Don’t use the pre-ground pepper for this dish.

There are only a few ingredients, so use the best you can find. All the ingredients are pretty inexpensive too, a head of cabbage, an onion, a pound of pasta, salt and pepper. You can feed a crowd for less money than you would spend on one fast meal.

I hope that you will try this dish. Let me know how your version turns out.

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Haluski - Fried Cabbage, Onions, and Pasta

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 10-12
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 45 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Haluski - Fried Cabbage, Onions, and Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 Head of cabbage, chopped to bite-sized pieces
  • 1 Large onion
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped or minced
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 lb farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees

2

In a large Dutch oven, pre-heat over medium heat

3

Add 1/2 stick of butter, then

4

Add the diced onion and cook 3-5 minutes, until translucent

5

Add the garlic and cook an additional minute

6

Add the chopped cabbage, the other half stick of butter, and continue to cook about 10-15 minutes - long enough to soften the cabbage

7

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper

8

While the cabbage is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil

9

Heavily season the boiling water with Kosher salt and add the pasta

10

Cook the pasta to package directions and set aside

11

Once the cabbage is cooked, add it and the pasta to a 13x9 casserole dish

12

Mix the pasta, cabbage, and onions together. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary

13

Bake for 30 minutes until you see golden brown bits on top

September 26, 2021 By
Breakfast/ Vegetarian

Loaded Breakfast Burritos

On the menu this morning Loaded Breakfast Burritos!

I wanted to make a batch of burritos so I could grab and go for breakfast during the week. These burritos are loaded with eggs, cheese, sausage (you could substitute pork sausage with imitation sausage), and tater-tots.

The filling options are only limited by your imagination. Jalapeno, onions, and/or bell peppers would all be great veggie options.

I hope you will make your own breakfast burritos and let me know which fillings you used!

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Loaded Breakfast Burritos

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 3-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes – Total Time: 45 minutes

Loaded Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients

  • 6 6" flour tortillas
  • 4 eggs, scrambled
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/2 lb sausage / imitation sausage, finely chopped
  • 1/2 lb tater-tots
  • 1/4 cup salsa
  • salt & pepper
  • butter

Instructions

1

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

2

Drizzle a little olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet, then evenly spread the tots

3

Cook the tater-tots according to package directions (I like mine on the crispy side)

4

Season the tots with salt and set aside

5

Pre-heat skillet over medium-high heat

6

Add the sausage to the pan and break it up as it cooks

7

When sausage is cooked, set aside

8

Add the eggs to the pan and gently move them around with a spatula so you don't end up with a giant omelet

9

When the eggs are cooked, season with salt and pepper, then set aside

10

Heat the tortillas in the microwave oven for 15-30 seconds to make them more pliable

11

I like lay each tortilla on a pre-cut tin foil sheet so that when I roll them up, the foil helps keep them together

12

Assemble burritos by adding a layer of grated cheese on the tortilla, then about two spoons of scrambled eggs

13

Top the eggs with a spoonful of sausage

14

Add 3-4 tater-tots, then roll the burrito

15

Repeat to use up all your ingredients

Notes

September 25, 2021 By
Casserole/ Fish/ Vegetarian

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

On the Menu Tonight – Not Your Average Tuna Casserole!

I really like Tuna Casserole, but it is one of those things I just don’t make very often. This version of Tuna Casserole is elevated by using fresher ingredients. For example, I didn’t use any frozen veggies or any dry herbs. Most versions I have had include peas, but I swapped them out with diced red bell pepper. Instead of using canned cream of mushroom soup, I made it.

The results were FANTASTIC! Whether you are feeding a big family, or making enough for leftovers, try my version of Tuna Casserole.

Tuna Casserole

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Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8-12
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 45 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

Ingredients

  • 16 oz egg noodles
  • 3 6.4 oz cans tuna fish, drained and broken into small pieces
  • 1 diced onion
  • 3 cups whole milk (2% is OK, but don't go below 2% fat), warmed or room temp
  • 8 Tbsp butter
  • 6-8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (White button or Cremini)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

2

Boil the egg noodles according to pkg directions, drain and set aside

3

Pre-heat large skillet over medium-high heat

4

Add 4 Tbsp of butter to the pan along with the diced onion

5

Let the onions get translucent, then add the mushrooms and cook 2-3 more minutes

6

Add the flour and mix thoroughly to coat the onions and mushrooms

7

Slowly add the milk and whisk/mix as you go to avoid lumps

8

Season with salt and pepper

9

When the mixture thickens, add the tuna, half the chopped parsley, and red bell pepper

10

Add the egg noodles and mix to coat all the noodles

11

Transfer to a buttered baking dish (13x9)

12

Melt the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter and mix with the panko and remaining parsley

13

Top the casserole with the bread crumb mix and put in the oven

14

Bake for 25-30 minutes

15

Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving

Notes

If you mix the noodles with the creamy tuna mixture and it looks like you need more liquid, add a can of cream of mushroom soup with a little additional milk.

September 3, 2021 By
Chili/ Vegetarian

Black Bean Eggplant and Lentil Chili

On the menu tonight – Black Bean Eggplant and Lentil Chili!

I had a Japanese eggplant that I needed to figure out what to do with. I decided to make a big pot of chili! Since Audrey doesn’t eat meat, I went with a completely vegetarian chili.

For the tomatoes, I went with fire roasted diced tomatoes to add a little smokiness.

I hope you will try this dish and let me know what you think.

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Black bean Eggplant and Lentil Chili

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8-12
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour – Total Time: 1 hr 15 min

Black bean Eggplant and Lentil Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 Japanese Eggplant, diced
  • 2 cans black beans
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 4 dried Pasilla Chilis, seeded, stemmed, steeped in hot water
  • 3 dried Guajilo Chilis, seeded, stemmed, steeped in hot water
  • 2 28oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Vidalia onion, finely diced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillan chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup key lime juice
  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Sour cream for garnish

Instructions

1

Pre-heat a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat

2

Pulse the steeped chilis in a food processor

3

Add the olive oil to the pot along with the onions

4

Cook the onions and eggplant until translucent, about 4-5 minutes

5

Add the garlic and black beans, cook an additional 4-5 minutes

6

Add the tomatoes, Better Than Bouillon, and cumin

7

Taste and adjust seasoning, including salt and pepper

8

Let simmer on low for 45 minutes

9

Add the lime juice at the end of the 45 minutes

10

Serve with garnish of your choice

September 1, 2021 By
Fish/ Vegetarian

Tuna Steaks with Tomato Basil and Garlic Sauce

On the menu tonight – Tuna Steaks with Tomato Basil and Garlic Sauce.

This dish was literally born from trying to figure out what to have for dinner AND use up stuff in our fridge/pantry. We had some tuna steaks we wanted to use, and we didn’t want to do what we usually do – olive oil, salt, pepper, then grill. Nothing wrong with that, it’s delicious. BUT, it isn’t as delicious as what I made tonight.

From start to finish, there was about 30 minutes invested, including prep time. You can’t order anything healthier and tastier that will get to your door in 30 minutes or less. We LOVED it!

Check out the recipe for all the ingredients, but there isn’t much to do other than zest the lemon and chop the ingredients for the sauce.

I hope you will try this recipe the next time you are in the mood for fish or trying to figure what to make quickly.

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Tuna Steaks with Tomato Basil and Garlic Sauce

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4

Tuna Steaks with Tomato Basil and Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 (1 inch) Tuna Steaks
  • 4-6 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 tbsp Thyme
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2-3 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1

Pre-heat a grill pan on high OR pre-heat grill to high

2

In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, lemon zest, juice, parsley, tomato, basil, thyme, onion, and garlic. Mix to combine and let sit at least 10 minutes

3

Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper

4

Put the tuna steaks on the grill, about 2 minutes on each side. You should see a line where the tuna is cooked. If you want rare (preferred), you want to see a cooked line about a quarter way up the steak, then flip to achieve the same cook on the other side

5

Once cooked to your preference, plate and top with the sauce you made

6

Serve immediately

August 11, 2021 By
Italian/ Vegetarian

Spaghetti al Limone / Lemon Spaghetti

On the Menu tonight – Spaghetti al Limone or Lemon Spaghetti.

Not too long ago, I made Spaghetti alla Carbonara, and it was fantastic. This is a similar dish, but a little brighter with the lemon.

You can easily make this meal in under 30 minutes and you don’t need a lot of ingredients. All you need is the pasta, lemons, garlic, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, some olive oil, and red pepper flakes. If you can boil water, you can make this dish.

It sounds like it would be heavy using the heavy cream and the Parmesan cheese, but surprisingly, it isn’t. The lemon and the parsley give it a wonderfully fresh taste, perfect for a summer dinner.

If want to go to Capri, without getting on a plane, put on some Italian music, pour a little limoncello and make Spaghetti al Limone. Let me know how your version turns out.

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Spaghetti al Limone / Lemon Spaghetti

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 6-8

Spaghetti al Limone / Lemon Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Spaghetti (angel hair pasta would also be great)
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2-3 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup of fresh basil, finely sliced (chiffonade if you want to sound chefy)

Instructions

1

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil (you want to season the pasta)

2

Add the pasta and let it boil, uncovered, to al dente (read pkg instructions and check it around the time suggested on the pkg)

3

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat

4

Add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes

5

After about 5 minutes, add about a cup of the pasta water, lemon juice, and cream to the skillet

6

Pasta should be about ready. When al dente, drain and add the pasta to the skillet with the lemon zest and half the cheese

7

Turn off the heat and toss the pasta in the sauce

8

Once fully coated, transfer to a serving dish, top with the parsley, basil, and remaining Parmesan cheese

August 1, 2021 By
Seafood/ Vegetarian

Shrimp and Crab “Boil” with Potatoes and Corn

We wanted to do a shrimp boil, but decided to try doing it in the oven rather than boiling everything. It was definitely a success!

The best part of making this meal is there really isn’t much to do. Pre-heat the oven, get a sheet pan or two and put all your stuff on the sheet pans. You do need to put the shrimp and crabs in foil packets, that was the hardest part of making this meal.

For the foil packets, I evenly divided the shrimp and crabs into portion sizes, liberally sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning along with some butter and some liquid. I used beer. Once you have everything in the packets, seal them tightly and add to the sheet pan. Add the corn and potatoes to the sheet pan and put it all in the oven.

We didn’t do any sausage in this boil, but it would be a great addition.

As the seafood cooks, cover your table with newspaper and get a discard bowl for the crab legs. When ready, serve with some cold beer and good music. I hope you will try this way of doing a shrimp and crab boil.

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Shrimp and Crab

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4-6

Shrimp and Crab "Boil" with Potatoes and Corn

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs small potatoes - cut into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces if necessary. You want to make sure they'll cook through in time without overcooking the seafood.
  • 2 ears of corn cut into thirds
  • 1-2 lemons - quartered
  • 2 lbs shrimp - deviened
  • 2-3 lbs crab legs - Snow Crab or Dungeness
  • 6-8 sprigs of thyme
  • 3-4 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 4-6 tbsp butter
  • 1 can/bottle of beer

Instructions

1

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

2

Put the potatoes in a bowl and cook them in the microwave oven for about 6-8 minutes (if the potato hasn't been halved, prick with a fork to prevent it from exploding)

3

While the potatoes cook in the microwave, put the corn on the sheet pan

4

Make the foil packets for the shrimp and crab, cut the foil large enough you can easily seal the packet

5

Evenly distribute the shrimp and crab into serving sized portions to the packet, then season generously season with Old Bay

6

Add a few ounces of beer to each packet as well as a pat of butter or two, then tightly seal the packet

7

Add the potatoes to the sheet pan

8

Season the corn and potatoes with salt and thyme

9

Add a few more pats of butter and one of quartered lemons to the sheet pan

10

Bake for 40-45 minutes (check them at about 30-35 minutes, you don't want overcooked seafood)

11

Cover a table with newspaper and serve your feast

Notes

You could also add sausage links to the sheet pan

July 24, 2021 By
Vegetarian

Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

If you like falafel, you MUST try this recipe. Most of the times I have ordered this out somewhere, it has been disappointing. Either the flavors are just bland or it has been overcooked.

In this recipe, I used a BUNCH of spices that give it fantastic flavor. Get some good pita or flat bread, make some tzatziki sauce and try my falafel.

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Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes – Total Time: 45 minutes

Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

  • Falafel:
  • 1 can Garbanzo beans
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, rough chop
  • 1/2 cup parsley, rough chop
  • 1 Tbsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 small onion, rough chop
  • 3 scallions, rough chop
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp dry ground ginger (or fresh)
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Oil for frying
  • Pita or Flatbread
  • Lettuce, chopped
  • Tzatziki Sauce:
  • 1 pint Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 English cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp vinegar, Champagne or white
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp dill
  • pinch of fresh black pepper

Instructions

1

In a food processor, pour in the garbanzo beans, spices, garlic, cilantro, parsley, egg, lemon zest and juice.

2

Pulse until combined. You will need to scrape down the sides periodically.

3

Add the flour and baking powder, pulse until combined.

4

Put the mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

5

Preheat the oil in a cast iron pan.

6

Form the falafel balls and gently drop into the oil. (I used a small ice cream scoop and it was SO much easier than using spoons)

7

Turn the falafel as they cook to make sure they cook evenly on all sides.

8

Once finished cooking, remove to a plate lined with paper towels.

9

Tzatziki Sauce:

10

Put the yogurt in a small colander lined with a tea towel or paper towel over another bowl and let the yogurt give off some moisture. Put in the fridge for 3-4 hours

June 19, 2021 By
Italian/ Vegetarian

Classic Eggplant Parmesan

Last night, I made eggplant Parmesan for dinner. I hadn’t had it in a while and I decided to make the classic version. It was fantastic!

If you can, take the time to sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit about an hour before you start cooking. That step will make the eggplant less bitter and pull out some of the moisture. You can work on the sauce while the eggplant is resting. After an hour has passed, rinse the eggplant and dry them with a kitchen towel. You will be really happy with the results taking the time to do this step.

I like to make my own sauce, but feel free to use your favorite jarred sauce. If I use a store bought sauce, I still doctor it up with some additional seasoning.

I hope you’ll try my eggplant parmesan and let me know what you think.

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Classic Eggplant Parmesan

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8-12
Prep Time: 1 hour – Cooking Time: 1 hour – Total Time: 2 hours

Classic Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

  • Eggplant:
  • 2 medium eggplants, 1/2 inch slices
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 5 eggs, beaten
  • 4 cups Italian bread crumbs
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • oil for frying
  • 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, grated
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1-2 handfuls fresh basil leaves, torn into smalls pieces
  • Sauce:
  • 2 28 oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1/2-1 can tomato paste (I like a thicker sauce for this application)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Vidalia onion, diced
  • 4-7 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 Tbsp oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1

Start with the sauce. Crush the tomatoes in a large mixing bowl with your hands

2

Pour 1 cup water in the cans to get the rest of the tomato juice. Reserve

3

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat

4

When the oil is hot, add the garlic - don't let it burn

5

After about a minute, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato water, red pepper flakes, oregano, and Kosher salt

6

Simmer the sauce until thickened

7

Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed

8

Prep the eggplant. Slice into 1/2 discs, put on a sheet tray and sprinkle salt on both sides. Let it sit about an hour

9

After an hour, rinse off the salt and dry the eggplant thoroughly with a kitchen towel

10

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet to 350 degrees (use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil maintains 350 degrees)

11

Put the flour in a pie tin or baking dish and season with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt

12

Put the beaten eggs in a pie tin

13

In a third pie tin or baking dish, mix the Italian bread crumbs, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper

14

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

15

Get a sheet pan lined with paper towels or a wire rack to drain the eggplant

16

Dip the eggplant slices in the flour and shake off any excess flour

17

Dip the eggplant slices in the eggs

18

Dip the eggplant slices in the Italian Breadcrumb mixture and coat thoroughly

19

Carefully put the coated eggplant slices in the frying pan, working in batches

20

When the eggplant is golden brown, remove to the lined tray

21

Once it is all cooked, start assembling in a 13x9 baking dish

22

Put down enough of the sauce in the baking dish to coat the bottom

23

Add a layer of the eggplant, top with some mozzarella, some Parmesan, some of the basil leaves, and some sauce

24

Continue layering until you used up all the eggplant. Make sure the top has a nice layer of cheese

25

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is golden brown

26

I like to put it under the broiler for a few minutes to make sure the cheese gets browned and delicious

27

Let it rest about 10 minutes and serve

May 30, 2021 By
Vegetarian

Grilled Cheese with American and Swiss Cheese

One of my favorite sandwiches is a grilled cheese sandwich. I made this version with a combination of American and Cheddar cheese.

There is nothing complicated about this sandwich, but you do have to pay attention the entire time so you don’t burn your bread. Since there are so few ingredients, use the best quality bread, cheese and butter.

If you haven’t seen the movie Chef with Jon Favreau, check it out. There’s a scene in the movie where he makes grilled cheese sandwiches for him and his son. He shows how making something so simple can be so good.

Make yourself a nice cheesy, gooey, grilled cheese sandwich. 🙂

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Grilled Cheese with American and Swiss Cheese

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 1
Prep Time: 1 minute – Cooking Time: 5 minutes – Total Time: 6 minutes

Grilled Cheese with American and Swiss Cheese

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of good Sourdough bread (or your favorite bread)
  • 2 slices of American cheese (yellow or white)
  • 2 slices of Cheddar cheese
  • Butter

Instructions

1

Pre-heat a pan over medium heat

2

Generously coat one side of each piece of bread with butter

3

Put the slices of bread buttered side down in your pan

4

Add cheese to each slice of bread

5

As the bread begins to brown and the cheese begins to melt, combine the slices to make the sandwich (you may need to adjust the heat, you don't want it too hot or the bread will burn before the cheese melts)

6

Periodically flip the sandwich until the bread is browned to your liking

7

Remove from the pan and slice in half

8

Serve immediately

March 22, 2021 By