If you know your meal plans in advance, you can also try taking the bread you'll use out of the bag and just letting it sit on your counter. I don't know if the few hours from morning to lunch are enough or if it'd need all day/overnight, but it's worth a try -- less risk of making it too dry.

Do I understand correctly that you put the butter on the outsides of the bread slices but not inside? This is most likely the reason why it's so soft. What do you use for frying? Oil, butter, etc.? Or nothing at all?

@Zerotime I have heard of people putting butter on the inside. I never understood that. Outside - for frying or broiling - is the only way that makes logical sense to me.

@manassehkatz Usually when I'm preparing something similar, I put butter on the inside and fry it with regular frying oil from the outside.

@Zerotime I put the butter only on the outside, that is the 'oil' it fries in.