Grilled cheese is one of those recipes a kindergartener could make well, but can also be elevated to gourmand proportions with just a few easy additions and creative flavor jolts. Today I stuck by my standard bread fave for the sandwich, sourdough, and pulled together the following items from my fridge to make a killer grilled cheese that was both comforting and unexpected: pepperjack cheese, sliced plum tomato, sliced jalapeño, prosciutto di Parma, Dijon mustard, and mascarpone cheese.

It’s important to butter both sides of the bread you’re working with, but instead of using actual butter on the insides of my sandwiches, I spread Dijon on the top slice and mascarpone on the bottom. This added a creaminess to the sandwich that cut the spice from the perpperjack and jalapeños. Layering in the prosciutto lended a smokiness to the dish that was complimented by the bright, crisp presence of a September tomato. I grilled the sandwiches under a low flame in a covered skillet for about 3 minutes a side, and then finished them off in the toaster oven to help the cheese get as gooey and the bread as golden as grilled cheese ought to be. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper all along the way.