As the other side of the world, the northern hemisphere get to set their clocks forward, a weird thing that we don't have to do 😜 for some reason, the North heads into spring and we head into autumn.
The weather is definitely getting chillier and for the last two days we had some hectic storms that included serious flooding, lightning and thunder, which is odd for this time of year. We normally get thunderstorms in the summer, but the weather has been... less predictable lately.
Along with the start of the cold weather, comes an unavoidable snackishness! Here, I'm going to teach you how to make the most awesome and delicious toasted cheese sandwich!
Tools:
An electric griller
A spatula for turning (don't use your fingers like me! lol.
A serrated or sharp knife for slicing cheese and cutting tomato
You can grate the cheese if you prefer
A large plate - if making for 1, otherwise a large chopping board for preparation
A butter knife
Turn the griller on so that it can warm up while you are busy preparing your sandwich. By the time you are done, it will be nice and hot and perfect for your sandwich to go right in.
I have a "George Foreman Griller" - meant for healthy grilling but I have, ironically, in like the 10 years I've owned it, ever used it for making toasted sandwiches 😂 My mom brought mine down from the UK, so it means I have to use an adapter. It means I'm pretty screwed if I loose it, but I've managed to hoard one or two. This one I actually keep plugged into my power cable so it doesn't get lost, or pinched!
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It's easy to forget, but make sure you unplug and switch off your power source completely at the end. Safety 1st guys!
Ingredients
The options are endless for a toasted sandwich. I took things back to basics here, with a few twists and ticks, of course!
- Good quality margarine (or butter if you can afford it)
- Half a tomato ( it was actually a bit too much as my tomato was quite big, but I shoved it all in there anyway)
- Cheddar cheese (you an use any cheese you like, b ut cheddar is the most versatile and gives us that gorgeous stringy melted yumminess that we strive for in a toastie!)
- Garlic (I used store bought chopped garlic for this)
- Seasoning to taste: I chose cayenne pepper and a bit of salt.
Method:
Plug in and start heating up your griller. The light sort of act as a guide, red meaning not ready yet and green meaning it's ready, but I ted to ignore it and do my own thing.
butter both slices of bread. Remember, the buttered side is NOT where your filings will go. The buttered side will go directly onto the griller, aiding the non- stick surface.
Slice your cheese and tomato. I put the cheese down 1st and then the tomato, at least at 1st, to avoid sogginess in the bread.
Next, spread out your tomato evenly and add garlic, herbs, spices, chili flakes - whatever tickles your fancy! You could even add mustard if that's your thing.
Once you are ready, place the sandwich right in the middle of the griller. You want as much space as possible around your creation for perfect grilling.
Close the griller lid and leave it alone fore around 5 minutes - go make a cup of tea or whatever.
After 5 minutes, open the griller and flip the sandwich. You'll notice lines or ridges on the grill if it's like mine, so I like to turn my sandwich over and make sure the lines run completely opposite to the first round of grilling - vertical vs horizontal 😜
Now, it might look good now, don't take it out yet. It's not done! Your tomatoes won't have had time to absorb the flavours from the salt and other seasoning and they'll still be raw. Also, the cheese will not be properly melted. I always add a pretty generous amount of cheese because I want to see it oozing out of the sides. I can guarantee you that this will only happen at the end of stage to grilling.
Go make another cup of tea and wait minutes. Do not be alarmed by sizzling noises! This is what you want!!
Once the wait is over, remove your sandwich from the grill. If excess cheese has melted out, you can either try to stuff it back into the sandwich, put it on top of the sandwich or just on the plate.
Remember that your sarmie will be nuclear hot so you'll have to wait a bit for it to cool off. You don't want to burn your tongue now!
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Once it's at an edible temperature, enjoy!
Prepare your comfy area and set up your favourite Netflix series. If you work from home, like me, you definitely need to take a break from information overload.
I also recommend a nap with a cat after!
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Don't forget to unplug your griller! Once it's cooled down, you can use a soft cloth with a bit of dishwashing liquid and water to remove whatever your sandwich left behind. I like to keep my griller in pristine condition and prevent rust or any damage to the non sick surface! Do not use any abrasive chemicals or scrubbers to clean the grill. Afterwards, rinse off with a plain wet cloth, careful not to leave any dishwashing liquid residue, so it's ready for your next sandwich!![]