gistfile1.cs

// Disclaimer, was written in LINQpad, so may need a bit of tweaking on Main() to run in Visual Studio
// but the general idea is there. Can just call this Main() from VS's generated Main().

void Main()
{
  // Returns an int, and we're happy
	var x = GetCachedValue("Int", new object(), () => {return 1;});
  Console.WriteLine(x);
  
  // Returns a string, and it's all good still
  var y = GetCachedValue("String", new object(), () => {return "Bubba";});
  Console.WriteLine(y);
  
  // Uses a call with specified parameters and returns a List<Object>
  var z = GetCachedValue<List<Object>>("List<object>", new object(), () => GetStuffInObjectList(1, false, "Hello", "world"));
}

private List<object> GetStuffInObjectList(int a, bool b, string c, string d)
{
  return new List<Object>{a, b, c, d};
}

private TCachedValueType GetCachedValue<TCachedValueType>(string cacheKey, object cacheLock, Func<TCachedValueType> method)
{
  lock(cacheLock)
  {
    TCachedValueType result = method();
    Console.WriteLine("{0} - {1}", cacheKey, result);
    return result;
  }
}