Bringing You Back.... Food From Back in the Day

            It is cold outside and I am brought back, once again to my youth. I remember coming in from the cold after a good morning of play, and it being a Saturday, the smell of my mom cooking lunch. Now what you are going to be given here my lovely readers is not what my mom used to cook however it is inspired by the greatness of processed cheese slices and canned soup that I remember. I think that everyone has a soft spot for this sort of lunch. It has sort of a universal quality and every time I mention that I am making it a smile creeps across the face of the listener. It feels like this meal should be mentioned in the Book of Awesome because there is something about it that warms you up from the inside out. If you haven’t figured it out I am talking about grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

            My mom would contend that she made this meal due to its quick and easy preparation and as a single mom I am sure that that is true, time was in short supply. This fact did not diminish my love for this simple and delicious meal. What I have done is take those memories and tried to make something that reminds me of that meal but is a little bit more homemade but is still relatively quick and easy. So here we go Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup. Throw on some Jaime Cullum and enjoy.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup to the tune of Twentysomething by Jaime Cullum.

Tomato Soup

6 good ripe tomatoes blanched, peeled, and diced

1 small can crushed tomatoes or half a large can

1 clove of garlic minced

½ an onion diced

8 basil leaves diced

1cup vegetable stock

1 cup milk

¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

1tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Okay so I blanch and peel my tomatoes out of habit and seeing that we are going to be straining this soup at the end you don’t really have to. Just chop them up and chuck them in.

-In a large saucepan add oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent.

-Add in tomatoes, both diced and crushed and basil. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

-Add in stock and milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and let it work for about an hour, salt and pepper to taste.

-About five minutes before you remove it from the heat add in the cheese so it melts down.

-Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. An immersion blender works great here and you can do it right in the pot. Then strain to catch all of the lumpy bits, seeds and tomato skin that may be left in the soup.

This recipe works great in a slow cooker as well. Just chuck all of the ingredients into your cooker except for the cheese and set it for 6 or 8 hours on low. Add the cheese at the end and blend and strain

Like that you have an awesome creamy tomato soup that will remind you of being a kid.

Now on to the sandwich…

I think everyone knows how to make a grilled cheese and has their own take on what is the best cheese or bread to use. That being said this is how I make mine

Grilled Cheese

Thick slices of French Bread

Aged apple wood smoked cheddar

Some brie

butter

-heat up a frying pan over medium high heat

-butter one side of your bread

-fire your bread butter side down into the pan, top with your cheeses, I

 go cheddar, brie, cheddar and then top with another slice of bread butter side up.

-fry until golden brown and then flip and fry until golden brown on the other side.

And just like that you have a meal that will bring you back to when you were a kid and will guaranteed put a smile on your face. Give it a go.