Waffled Tomato Grilled Cheese Food

GRILLED TOMATO AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Thinly slice the tomatoes and lay them on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and let sit to release any water, about 15 minutes. Pat dry.
• Lay out 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Layer each with 2 slices of cheese, making sure that they cover to the edges. Follow with 2 slices of tomato and then 1 more slice of cheese. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread. Thinly and evenly spread the butter on both sides of the bread using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter for each sandwich.
• Place 2 sandwiches into a nonstick medium skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the bread is evenly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip, cover again and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is visibly melted, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

OPEN-FACED TOMATO GRILLED CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Combine the olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Brush the cut sides of the baguette with some of the flavored oil. Grill cut-side down until toasted, about 4 minutes.
• Rub the grilled sides of the baguette with the garlic. Top with the tomato slices, season with salt and cover with the provolone. Grill, covered, until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining flavored oil and season with salt. Cut into pieces.

GRILLED CHEESE-AND-TOMATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Brush a 9-by-13-inch flameproof baking dish with some of the melted butter.
• Lay 6 of the bread slices out on a baking sheet in 1 even layer. Brush the tops generously with butter. Broil, rotating the baking sheet as needed, until the bread is golden brown and toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip the slices (untoasted side facing up). Put 2 slices of the Cheddar each on 3 pieces of the bread and 1 slice of the Swiss cheese each on the 3 remaining slices. Return the baking sheet to the broiler until the cheese completely melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Sandwich together each Swiss-topped bread slice with a Cheddar-topped slice. Repeat with the remaining bread, Cheddar and Swiss and more butter.
• Trim the crusts off the sandwiches, then arrange the sandwiches in 1 layer in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the Parmesan over the top.
• Scatter the tomatoes on the baking sheet, and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Broil until they are very soft and the skins are wrinkled and browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Scatter the tomatoes over the sandwiches.
• Switch the broiler to bake, and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, mayonnaise, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. Pour over the tomatoes and sandwiches (the liquid won't completely cover). Cover with foil, and bake until the custard is mostly set, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the casserole is hot and golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes more. Scatter the parsley on top, and serve hot.

GRILLED TOMATO-CHEESE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Sprinkle tomatoes and onion over four bread slices. Layer with cheese slices; top with remaining bread. Butter outsides of sandwiches., Toast on a heated griddle for 2-3 minutes on each side or until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.