There comes a certain age when we feel shame in ordering chicken fingers and a chocolate milk for lunch. That's the day you've officially lost your childish charm; it's basically when you start asking for socks for Christmas instead of toys. If you go through the graveyard of "kid foods older people shouldn't love", two major dishes stick out: peanut butter and jelly and grilled cheese.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the ode to our picky-eater young selves, while grilled cheeses are a basic, simple delight. The last time you probably genuinely enjoyed a grilled cheese was before you were brainwashed to never eat white bread. So let's go back to the simpler times of white bread and and see if we can take these two sandwiches up a notch for our "sorta grown up palette".
Peanut Butter and Jelly
If this didn't exist, I don't know what I would've eaten all throughout elementary, most of high school, or when I got home everyday—or even now, when I need a snack. Clearly it has infiltrated all aspects of my life, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a versatile food that you can eat for any meal. Seriously. My favorite type of peanut butter is that natural stuff that they make at the grocery with their peanut grinding machine—bougie, I know.
The jam or jelly is super important, and now that you're not eight anymore, you don't need to stick to grape jelly. Be a jelly snob!
Just make your sandwich with fresh, good quality ingredients and it'll instantly taste better than the soggy one we unwrapped from our lunch box. For more inspiration check out this PB&J upgrade.
Once I actually made this sandwich, I realized that the natural peanut butter is bogus and is not spreadable onto white bread. Ironic? I ended up just using Skippy's and pineapple peach jam. Then I grilled it like a grilled cheese on a pan using a ton of butter. In hindsight, I might have used a thicker bread like challah, but one thing is for sure: grilling your PB&J is a must.
Grilled Cheese
A grilled cheese is one of the most comforting foods known to man, and my love for it will never die. The beauty of this grilled sammie lies not only in its simplicity, but also that it takes on many forms. It has already been reinvented so many ways—see the rainbow atrocity below.
If you wanna stick to the classic version, this New York Times recipe is probably the way to go—but my favorite amped-up version of a grilled cheese includes both bacon and avocado, and this recipe seems to have it down.
Here is my take on a BGGC (ahem, bacon guac grilled cheese). I use a panini machine, because it takes less time and the cleanup is easier, and I use both muenster cheese and American cheese.
I put the sandwich on the panini machine and let it cook for about a minute, or until the bread is golden and crispy. When you take the sandwich off the heat, pull it apart, and then slather on the guacamole.
PB&J and Grilled Cheese sandwiches are the best combinations, and, honestly, they're too simple to screw up. Simply put, they are the perfect lazy persons sandwich.