When I was a child, I loved to sing the Campbell’s Soup Song, dancing all over the kitchen in anticipation of my cup of soup! My mom sent away for the official soup cup and that was the only way to have soup!
Now I prefer a more grown up version of this same satisfying tomato soup than when I was a child. You will still hear me singing that familiar song in the kitchen as I cut heirloom tomatoes, onions and garlic to roast in the oven. My idea of a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it has evolved too.
I hope these recipes will have you singing: “M’m! M’m! Good! M’m! M’m! Good! That’s what homemade soups are, M’m! M’m! Good!”
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (you can use a mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, plum tomatoes)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes (add for desired amount of heat)
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 25 to 35 minutes or until caramelized.
Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.
Wash and dry basil leaves and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with leaf of basil.
Big Girl Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients:
8 slices country-style sourdough bread
12 ounces Monterey jack or Gruyere thinly sliced
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup pesto
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 slices smoked bacon, cooked and broken into pieces to fit the bread
2 tomatoes, sliced, and drained on paper towels for 5 minutes
Directions:
Mix together the mayonnaise and pesto and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Place 4 slices of bread on a cutting board and generously butter the top sides of each slice. Melt another tablespoon of the butter in the skillet; swirl around to coat the pan.
Spread each side of bread with the pesto mayonnaise and layer a few slices of the cheese on the bread. Lay the bacon and tomato on top of the cheese. Cover with a few more slices of cheese. Top with the remaining slices of bread, placed buttered-side up. Lay 2 slices of bread, buttered side down, in the skillet. Cook, without pressing, until the bread browns and the cheese is slightly melted, about 5 minutes.
Turn the sandwiches with a spatula and add a small piece of butter to the pan. Cook slowly, adjusting the heat as needed to melt the cheese completely before the sandwiches are brown, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with the other 2 sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches on a diagonal and serve with the soup. Savor each bite.
Dunk your sandwich in the soup and hear the Campbell’s Soup song in your head …. Don’t you feel like a kid again?
Tomato Basil Soup and Big Girl Grilled Cheese
2014-05-05 13:05:42
Serves 2
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
2504g
Servings
2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 4293
Calories from Fat 2726
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 309g
475%
Saturated Fat 112g
558%
Trans Fat 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 48g
Monounsaturated Fat 135g
Cholesterol 469mg
156%
Sodium 4755mg
198%
Total Carbohydrates 273g
91%
Dietary Fiber 24g
95%
Sugars 53g
Protein 120g
Vitamin A
266%
Vitamin C
260%
Calcium
192%
Iron
113%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- 2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (you can use a mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, plum tomatoes)
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled Heirloom Tomatoes
- 2 small yellow onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (add for desired amount of heat)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, optional (not really)
Big Girl Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- 8 slices country-style sourdough bread
- 12 ounces Monterey jack or Gruyere thinly sliced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup pesto
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 slices smoked bacon, cooked and broken into pieces to fit the bread
- 2 tomatoes, sliced, and drained on paper towels for 5 minutes
Instructions
- Soup: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray.
- Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place in oven and roast for 25 to 35 minutes or until caramelized.
- Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot.
- Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.
- Wash and dry basil leaves and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with leaf of basil.
- Grilled Cheese: Mix together the mayonnaise and pesto and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Place 4 slices of bread on a cutting board and generously butter the top sides of each slice. Melt another tablespoon of the butter in the skillet; swirl around to coat the pan.
- Spread each side of bread with the pesto mayonnaise and layer a few slices of the cheese on the bread.
- Lay the bacon and tomato on top of the cheese. Cover with a few more slices of cheese.
- Top with the remaining slices of bread, placed buttered-side up.
- Lay 2 slices of bread, buttered side down, in the skillet. Cook, without pressing, until the bread browns and the cheese is slightly melted, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the sandwiches with a spatula and add a small piece of butter to the pan.
- Cook slowly, adjusting the heat as needed to melt the cheese completely before the sandwiches are brown, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Repeat with the other 2 sandwiches. Slice the sandwiches on a diagonal and serve with the soup. Savor each bite.
Notes
- The sandwiches can be made on a panini press if you have one. Lightly spread each side of the bread with butter before placing under the press to cook.
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