Who doesn’t love tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches?  Brings you back doesn’t it?  Well this new combo will delight your pallet and wow your guests!  It takes this comfort meal to a new level.  When choosing a cheddar for this recipe make sure it is aged about one year or it will not melt well.  The kids will still love the soup and a good old American cheese or cheddar sandwich.

Cream of Tomato Soup

 4 lbs. plum tomatoes

6 cloves garlic peeled

1 large onion sliced

½ Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

1 qt chicken stock

2 bay leaves

4 T butter

½ c white wine

½ c chopped basil leaves

1 T fresh thyme leaves chopped or 1tsp. dried

1T honey

¾ c light cream

Wash core and cut the tomatoes in halves. Put some olive oil in bottom of a large broiling pan and lay out the tomatoes side by side and cut side down. Put the garlic cloves and onions on top of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle more olive oil on top. Roast the tomatoes in a 400*F oven for 60 minutes, stirring once, until they are caramelized. Remove to a stockpot and add ¾ of the stock, bay leaves, wine and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid has been reduced by a third. Remove the bay leaves. Wash and dry basil and thyme leaves and add to the pot with the honey. Using an immersion blender puree the soup until smooth. These blenders are handy, but if you don’t have one, let the soup cool and you put it into a food processor until blended. Add the soup, cream, and the rest of stock back to the pot and heat slowly.

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (Makes 4 sandwiches)

 8 oz. aged cheddar cheese, cut into about ½ inch squares room temperature

2 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed

2T dry white wine or vermouth

3 tsp. minced shallot

unsalted butter for spreading, softened

8 slices hearty sandwich bread

Process cheddar, Brie, and wine in food processor until blended. Add shallot and pulse to combine – about 3 to 5 pulses.

Working on parchment paper-lined counter, spread butter over 1 side of the slices. Flip 4 slices and spread cheese mixture evenly over slices. Top with remaining 4 slices of bread, buttered sides up.

Preheat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Grill the sandwiches until bread is a golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let them sit for 3-4 minutes before slicing. Grill the rest of the sandwiches and let rest. If the sandwiches are too hot the cheese will ooze out.