By Four months to the wedding. The church is booked and the dress is fitted and the food is planned and we still have to do invitations. Debbie has opinions about invitations. I have deferred entirely on invitations and she has accepted this responsibility with what I can only describe as professional enthusiasm.
Crystal confirmed she is coming. She texted me a photograph of the outfit she is planning to wear. It was a good outfit. I said it was a good outfit. She sent back a heart emoji and nothing else and that was the whole conversation and it was more than enough.
I have been teaching Tyler to cook. I say teaching. He can make scrambled eggs and now, after six months of watching me, he can also make pasta with butter and garlic without burning the garlic, which is the stumbling block for most beginners. He stood at the stove Tuesday and made it himself start to finish while I sat at the table and did not interfere. It was very good pasta. He was so pleased with himself that he texted Marcus a photograph. Marcus responded with a thumbs up and the message that this was either love or a miracle. It is both.
Gloria called this week to talk about what she was going to wear for the wedding. She has a dress she bought for a nephew wedding in 2019 and wants to know if it still works. I said I had never seen it. She described it to me. I said it sounded beautiful. She said her hips had changed since 2019. I said we could take it to Linda. She said she had already thought of that.
Watching Tyler stand at that stove Tuesday—focused, careful, not burning the garlic—reminded me that the best thing I can do sometimes is just sit down and let someone find their own footing. He’s ready for the next step, and this grilled cheese prosciutto is exactly that: still simple enough to feel like a win, but elevated just enough to make a person feel like a real cook. It’s the kind of recipe I’m already planning to leave on the counter for him to find.
Grilled Cheese Prosciutto
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut white or sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 4 slices provolone or fontina cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Butter the bread. Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter on one side of each bread slice.
- Layer the filling. On the unbuttered side of two slices, layer two slices of cheese, then two slices of prosciutto, then a second layer of cheese. Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the unbuttered side of the remaining two slices if using, then press together to form two sandwiches, buttered sides facing out.
- Heat the skillet. Warm a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-low heat until evenly hot, about 2 minutes.
- Grill the sandwiches. Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 4–5 minutes until the bottom is deep golden brown. Flip carefully and cook another 3–4 minutes until the second side is golden and the cheese is fully melted.
- Rest and slice. Remove from heat, let rest for one minute, then slice diagonally. Season with a few grinds of black pepper and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 980mg