How to Throw a Grilled Cheese Party
![Grilled cheese bar Grilled cheese bar](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-1-600x411.jpg)
Not sure what to serve at your next party? Get toasty with a grown-up grilled cheese and Bloody Mary bar! Martha Stewart says it's a menu that will make your guests melt. "I think that evolving the grilled cheese sandwich is a good thing," she says.
Setup is a cinch. Just buy cheeses known for melting easily—like Gruyère, cheddar and Fontina—and stock up on rye, white and sourdough breads. Don't forget an array of sophisticated toppings.
To cook, have a skillet ready for your guests to grill at will. For best results, Martha says to butter the outsides of the bread, then add two slices of cheese and any mixture of toppings. Cook on one side until the bread is golden brown, then flip.
Whatever you do, don't flatten the sandwich with a spatula. "It's not a panini," Martha says. "A grilled cheese should be light and fluffy on the inside."
Start planning your menu today—browse all of Martha's suggestions, as seen in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine, and get her Bloody Mary recipes
Setup is a cinch. Just buy cheeses known for melting easily—like Gruyère, cheddar and Fontina—and stock up on rye, white and sourdough breads. Don't forget an array of sophisticated toppings.
To cook, have a skillet ready for your guests to grill at will. For best results, Martha says to butter the outsides of the bread, then add two slices of cheese and any mixture of toppings. Cook on one side until the bread is golden brown, then flip.
Whatever you do, don't flatten the sandwich with a spatula. "It's not a panini," Martha says. "A grilled cheese should be light and fluffy on the inside."
Start planning your menu today—browse all of Martha's suggestions, as seen in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine, and get her Bloody Mary recipes
![Prosciutto, Arugula and Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich Prosciutto, Arugula and Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-2-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Prosciutto, Arugula and Tomato
With Gruyère cheese and layers of prosciutto, arugula and tomato, this sandwich is a merger of grilled cheese and a BLT.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Gruyere, Apple and Sage on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich Gruyere, Apple and Sage on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-3-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Gruyère, Apple and Sage on Rye
Crisp apple combined with creamy, nutty Gruyère balances the earthiness of sage and rye.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Gruyere, Red Onion, Prosciutto and Pepper on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich Gruyere, Red Onion, Prosciutto and Pepper on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-4-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Gruyère, Red Onion, Prosciutto and Pepper on Rye
With its peppery finish, this combo is reminiscent of a Reuben sandwich.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Fontina, Harissa and Pear on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich Fontina, Harissa and Pear on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-5-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Fontina, Harissa and Pear on Rye
A new use for that jar of harissa, this sandwich benefits from the appealing fusion of sweetness and spice.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Bacon, Tomato and Avocado on Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich Bacon, Tomato and Avocado on Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-6-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Cheddar, Dijon Mustard, Bacon, Tomatoes, Avocado and Pepper on Sourdough
Dijon mustard and black pepper cut through the saltiness and fattiness of the avocado and bacon.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Cheddar, Jalapeno and Cilantro on White Grilled Cheese Sandwich Cheddar, Jalapeno and Cilantro on White Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-7-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Cheddar, Jalapeño and Cilantro on White
A little heat from the jalapeño goes a long way, and the cilantro adds brightness.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Gruyere, Sardine, Peppadew Peppers and Arugula on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich Gruyere, Sardine, Peppadew Peppers and Arugula on Rye Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-8-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Gruyère, Oil-Packed Sardines, Peppadew Peppers and Arugula on Rye
The king of melting cheese can handle the flavor explosion from the sardines and the peppers.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Cheddar, Cherry Preserves and Basil on White Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwich Cheddar, Cherry Preserves and Basil on White Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-9-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Cheddar, Cherry Preserves and Basil on White
Creamy cheddar meets tangy cherry preserves and the fresh taste of basil.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Fontina, Oil-Packed Tuna and Relish on White Grilled Cheese Sandwich Fontina, Oil-Packed Tuna and Relish on White Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-10-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Fontina, Oil-Packed Tuna and Relish on White
A full-flavored tuna melt with hints of sweetness.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Cheddar, Bacon and Pickles on Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich Cheddar, Bacon and Pickles on Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-11-600x411.jpg)
Photo: Johnny Miller
Cheddar, Bacon and Pickles on Sourdough
A dose of acidity from the pickles is the perfect complement to bacon and cheddar.
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
![Bloody Marys Bloody Marys](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-12-600x411.jpg)
Nothing complements a gooey grilled cheese better than a tangy Bloody Mary. Make two variations, and have them ready at the end of your grilled cheese bar.
Get Martha's recipe for a Yellow Bloody Mary
Get Martha's recipe for a Classic Bloody Mary
Get Martha's recipe for a Yellow Bloody Mary
Get Martha's recipe for a Classic Bloody Mary
![Infused vodka Infused vodka](/g/image-resizer?width=670&link=https://static.oprah.com/images/tows/201009/20100916-tows-grilled-cheese-13-600x411.jpg)
Add some extra punch to your Bloody Mary bar with some homemade infused vodka. All you need is a bottle of your favorite vodka and pieces of your favorite fruit or vegetable. Martha recommends cucumbers, cubanelle peppers with jalapeños or lemon peels. If the fruit or vegetable you like has seeds, remove them before adding them to the vodka. "Don't leave it out once you put the vegetables or fruits in it, because it could spoil," she says. "It doesn't get solid; it just gets syrupy."
If you're working with pineapple, Martha says to only use the core. "Take that hard core and cut it into thin strips and put it in the vodka," she says.
Once your flavors have been added to the vodka bottle, let it sit it in the freezer for two to four weeks before serving, she says.
Try all the recipes Martha has cooked on Oprah's stage through the years
Inside Martha's Maine estate
Martha's incredible comeback
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
If you're working with pineapple, Martha says to only use the core. "Take that hard core and cut it into thin strips and put it in the vodka," she says.
Once your flavors have been added to the vodka bottle, let it sit it in the freezer for two to four weeks before serving, she says.
Try all the recipes Martha has cooked on Oprah's stage through the years
Inside Martha's Maine estate
Martha's incredible comeback
Get more Martha Stewart recipes at MarthaStewart.com
Published 10/05/2010