Bacon Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup

It's Sunday and that means football and soup in our household...it's a tradition. I was in the mood for a different kind of soup than our regulars.  Tomato Basil sounded delicious....and with any tomato soup, grilled cheese must also be present.  Since the soup is so simple I wanted to pump up the taste in the grilled cheese.  I will guarantee you will LOVE this sandwich!  Here are a few quotes about the grilled cheese that I got a kick out of...

Husband: This is the best grilled cheese I've ever had!

Me: Better than your grandma's?

Husband: By a landslide!

Daughter:  This is so good I think I'm going to pass out!

Husband: This is almost better than a steak!

Overall Ratings:

Me: 5 stars

My husband: 5 stars

My daughter: 5 stars 

Tomato Basil Soup

Serves 10

 

20 large tomatos

1 clove of garlic

4 bunches of Basil 

1/2 cup heavy cream

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.  Slice the tomatos in half.  Place them in a glass dish and sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Cut the top of the clove of garlic off.  Wrap it up in some foil, pour olive oil all over and seal the foil.  Put the foil in the dish with the tomatos.  Roast for 45 minutes.

When the tomatos are done, put them all in a pot along with any juices in the dish, squeeze the garlic out of the foil and tear the basil.  Puree.  Add the cream and stir.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

Bacon Grilled Cheese

Serves 2

 
3 slices of extra thick applewood smoked bacon

4 slices of sourdough bread

1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1/4 cup shredded gruyere

1/4 cup mayo

1 TBSP dijon mustard

2 TBSP parmesean

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesean

soften butter

Mix the mayo, dijon mustard and small amount of parmesan in a bowl.  In another bowl mix the larger amount of parmesan and the panko bread crumbs.  Set both bowls to the side.  Fry the bacon and allow it to cool and drain fat.  Cube the bacon and put in another bowl along with shredded cheddar and gruyere.  Mix together.

Butter one side of all 4 slices of bread.  Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly between the 4 slices and press into the buttered side.  On two of the slices, spread the mayo mix on the opposite side.  Add half of the cheese mixture to each sandwiches and cook in a non stick pan.  When one side is browned, flip and brown the other side.  Slice and serve.