Editor's note: The following article was originally posted in June 2012, but we are reposting it today in honor of National Grilled Cheese Day. Enjoy!

I'm far from being a gourmet cook, but I do enjoy preparing food and experimenting in the kitchen. Over the years, I've made hundreds of grilled cheese sandwiches and I'm sharing the few simple rules I follow that produce a perfect grilled cheese sandwich every time.

1. Figure out which pan works the best for grilled cheese and never, ever use another one. Re-buy the same pan if need be. I have made the mistake of using another pan because my grilled cheese sandwich pan was dirty, and it throws everything off. Don't mess with success, people.
2. Butter the bread generously. This is no time to cut calories. Promise yourself you'll eat a salad for dinner and get slathering. The bread slices must be entirely covered in butter to make this thing really work.
3. Make sure the pan is medium-hot enough. Don't throw the sammy on the griddle too fast or else it won't turn out like the sandwich that dreams are made of. And if it's too hot, it will burn the bread without melting the queso. It's zen and the art of grilled cheese time – something only you and your stove top can figure out together. Also, put a lid on the pan to trap the heat and melt the cheese all the way through.
4. Use sliced or shredded cheese. If you have a block of cheese, don't cut into chunks, rather shred it before putting it between the slices of bread. It will melt better that way. Slices work well, too. But don't buy those plastic-wrapped " cheese" slices if you can help it. They melt well but they're kinda gross.