Name: Kids Grilled Cheese
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 slices hearty white or wheat sandwich bread; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted; ½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Time

15 minutes

Yield

Serves 1

WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING

“Delicious! Crispy and cheesy.” —Kellen, recipe tester, age 12

Ingredients

2 slices hearty white or wheat sandwich bread

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 slices hearty white or wheat sandwich bread

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 slices hearty white or wheat sandwich bread

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Plain sandwich bread turns to golden, toasty slices in the skillet thanks to the magic of butter! Butter contains fat, protein, and sugars that react with the heat of the pan and help the bread get evenly browned and crispy. To see this in action, have kids leave one stripe of bread unbuttered as they paint on the melted butter in step 1, then place that side down in the skillet first. Encourage them to look closely when they flip their sandwich—does that part of the bread look any different from the rest? It likely won’t be as evenly toasted as the parts of the bread that did get buttered.

Instructions

Place bread slices on cutting board. Use pastry brush to brush melted butter evenly over 1 side of each slice.

Flip 1 slice over (buttered side down), sprinkle with cheese, and press down on cheese lightly. Place second slice of bread on top (butter on the outside) and press down gently.

Place sandwich in 10-inch nonstick skillet and press it lightly with spatula. Heat skillet over medium-low heat and cook until first side is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Use spatula to flip sandwich over and press lightly again following photos, “Step-by-Step: How to Flip a Grilled Cheese,” below. Cook until second side is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Turn off heat. Use spatula to transfer sandwich back to cutting board. Let cool for 2 minutes. Cut sandwich in half and serve warm.