Grilled Cheese & Bacon Sandwich Bar

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. • Add 1⁄4 cup water and 1 tsp sugar to pan with onion (1/3 cup water and 2 tsp sugar for 4 servings). Cook, stirring, until caramelized and jammy, 2-3 minutes more. • Turn off heat; transfer to a small serving bowl. Wash out pan.

• Meanwhile, using the tip of a spoon, remove and discard black gills from undersides of mushrooms; trim any large stems if necessary. Halve mushrooms; thinly slice crosswise. • Heat a large drizzle of oil in pan used for onion over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic powder, and half the thyme (all for 4 servings); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned and tender, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a small serving bowl. Wipe out pan. • While mushrooms cook, thinly slice tomato. Transfer to a plate; season all over with salt and pepper.

• Place mozzarella, cheddar, and dressing in separate serving bowls. Arrange family style along with jammy onion, garlic mushrooms, tomato, and sourdough for everyone to build their own sandwiches. (You’ll cook the sandwiches in the next step!)

Arrange bacon family style along with other sandwich fillings.

• Heat 2 TBSP butter in pan used for mushrooms over medium heat. Add sandwiches to hot pan (for 4 servings, you may need to work in batches, adding more butter between batches). Cook, covered, until bread is golden and butter is absorbed, 2-4 minutes. TIP: Lower heat if browning too quickly. • Reduce heat to medium low. Flip sandwiches, adding an additional 1 TBSP butter to pan. Cook, covered, until bread is golden and cheese melts, 2-4 minutes more.