While we'll happily dig into an ooey-gooey grilled cheese starring sharp cheddar or American cheese — bonus points for homemade — there's something to be said for exploring the cheese counter's other enticing options. Most aged cheeses are worth experimenting with — fresh or brined cheeses like chèvre or feta typically don't melt properly — here are some of our favorites; let us know in the comments if we left your favorite off!

• Fontina: This mild, buttery Italian cheese is practically made to be melted; try it with pancetta, basil, and peaches (or strawberries, while we wait on stone-fruit season) for a salty-sweet treat.
• Brie: Creamy, earthy brie; camembert; and other bloomy rind cheeses like Vermont Farmstead's Lillé lend richness, velvety texture, and a mild mushroom-like funk and are particularly perfect when paired with sweet-leaning elements like blackberry jam or fig preserves.
• Raclette: If you love the classic Swiss communal dish based on (and named for) the funky alpine cheese, then consider nestling a hefty handful between bread. Score bonus points by adding chopped cornichon to the mix or using potato bread as a nod to raclette's classic accoutrement.

Keep reading for three other excellent options.

While we typically simmer up a batch of homemade soup when a craving strikes, we turn to store-bought from time to time, particularly when we're feeling under the weather. The problem? It tends to fall flat no matter the source — whether a can, tetra pack, or the prepared foods section of Whole Foods — and tastes, well, canned. In these instances we turn to a few simple strategies to perk things up.

• Play with garnishes: Raid your pantry and crisper. Try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes, a few cracks of pepper, a drizzle of oil, a chiffonade of basil or other fresh herbs, a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, a handful of oyster crackers or crumbled saltines, or even a sprinkling of seeds, chopped nuts, or grated salty cheese like Parmesan. Not only do garnishes improve the soup's flavor, but they also add textural and visual contrast.
• Pay attention to the serving vessel: This may seem silly, but taking the time to serve soup in a favorite bowl or mug with proper silverware, rather than in its to-go container or a chipped bowl helps. We're visual creatures; embrace it!
• Adjust the seasoning: Soup, even of the homemade variety, tends to require a bit of tweaking to make the flavors shine. Oftentimes all a bowl needs is an extra pinch of salt, a splash of lemon juice or vinegar (try balsamic in tomato soup), or a hit of spice to take things from pathetic to palatable. Like all matters of seasoning, make sure to taste along the way.

What steps do you take to doctor up store-bought soup?

In an ideal world we'd cook with dried beans exclusively: they are generally a more economical option, have a better texture, and allow for infusing flavor as they cook. But let's face it: they take far longer to prepare than cracking open a can. The question is, when is simmering up a pot of dried beans worth the effort, and when can you bust out the can opener guilt-free?

Use dried beans when beans are the star ingredient, texture is of the utmost importance, or a recipe calls for an obscure variety, as many more options are sold dried than canned. (We're partial to Rancho Gordo's high-quality selection.) If you have the extra time, dried beans are almost always the superior option — and preparing them is largely a hands-off task.

Turn to the can when the beans will be pureed or otherwise altered in texture, time is of the essence (canned beans are a weeknight dinner staple for a reason), or the beans will be playing a supporting role. Feel no shame in cooking with canned beans, just know that they won't be quite as delectable.

When do you reach for dried beans? Or do you always use the canned variety? Share your thoughts with us below.

Crccooks shows us that two ingredients — masa harina and water — an inexpensive tortilla press, and a few simple steps are all it takes to make homemade corn tortillas that'll leave that store-bought stuff in the dust.

Simple homemade corn tortillas. Turn taco night up a notch with this quick and easy recipe!

For more — and the recipe — visit his blog, and then be sure to share your food photos via Savory Sights on POPSUGAR Social or by starting your own blog. If you're on Instagram, then chime in on the conversation with the hashtag #savorysight.

Take a page out of Running to the Kitchen's book, and let the first crop of rosy-red strawberries star in a salad bolstered by creamy avocado, sweet-tart kiwi, and a stellar honey-lime dressing.

A taste of Spring!

For more — and the recipe — visit her blog, and then be sure to share your food photos via POPSUGAR Social or by starting your own blog. If you're on Instagram, then chime in on the conversation with the hashtag #savorysight.

• Learn not one but 24 new things today about beer — HuffPost Taste
• Get acquainted with the biggest current food-related court cases — Zagat
• A first taste of Dunkin' Donuts' donut breakfast sandwich — Grub Street Boston
• Ikea's moose lasagna pulled due to porcine contamination — Eater
• Puzzle over one man's quest to subsist purely on a liquid diet — NPR
• German thieves stole 5 1/2 tons of Nutella — Delish
• Must make: giant layered cookie cake — Big Girls Small Kitchen

Despite a brief tenure as a bartender and a fascination with cocktail culture (and consumption), I've always been a bit apprehensive when it comes to venturing into the world of tiki cocktail creation, since many of these tropical tipples owe their complex flavor to a laundry list of ingredients. Thankfully, the Mai Tai — a rum-forward stunner — is comparatively simple, clocking in at a mere four ingredients, and has quickly become a staple in my home bar repertoire.

Even more crucially, this classic Polynesian recipe is dangerously quaffable — watch out; it packs a real punch — perfectly suited to Spring's warmer weather, and a solid choice for toasting to Sunday's Mad Men premiere thanks to its retro styling. Get the recipe and follow suit.