grilled cheese

on cold days like this, all i want to do is cozy up on the couch and eat warm comfort food. this month's martha has great ideas for "grown up" grilled cheese sandwiches. delish!

gruyere, prosciutto, arugula and tomato on white

fontina, harissa (a n. african hot chili sauce) and pear on rye

gruyere, apple and sage on rye. i bet that apple adds the best crunch!

cheddar, dijon mustard, bacon, tomato, avocado and pepper on sourdough--i can taste it just listing the ingredients!

gruyere, red onion, prosciutto and pepper on rye (im not a big fan of raw onion so i might saute them a bit before adding or even caramelizing them for a sweet flavor)

cheddar, cherry preserves and basil on white

when you're ready to grill, butter the outside of each slice of bread. heat a cast-iron skillet (works best) over medium. place your assembled sandwich in the skillet and grill until the cheese starts to melt and the bottom bread turns golden brown. flip! take off when the new bottom slide is golden brown. enjoy!

 ** martha says to avoid pressing down on the sandwich so it remains fluffy (unless you're trying to make a panino--then press away!)