Easy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

They say it's our storm of the season.

I say it's time for some more soup. 

Today's soups is a comforting old stand by; tomato soup.  What makes this so special?  The fact that it's quick and easy, easy to make.  Plus it tastes like it's been slow cooked.  PLUS, it's topped with grilled cheese croutons!  You know that tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches go hand in hand.  So my spin on  this combination was to make croutons to give that cheesy flavor but keep light in calories.

Winner!

This soup takes about 40 minutes with prep time.  Quick enough to make on a weeknight.  Simple enough to make for lunch on the weekend! I'm sure you could also put this in a slow cooker and allow it to meld together for about 4-5 hours, but it's not necessary.  The flavor is that good.  It's one of my go to soups when you want something hot, satisfying and good enough to comfort you during this season's "storm"!

Easy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

8 Servings - - Time: 30 minutes

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic

2 T butter

1/2 c red onion, small dice

2 minced garlic cloves

6 tablespoons flour

6 c low-sodium chicken broth

2 slices of Italian bread

2 slices of American Cheese

1 T butter, softened

Place tomatoes with their juices in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  In a large saucepan, heat 2 T of butter over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan and cook about 6 minutes until tender.   Add garlic; cook another minute longer.

Sprinkle flour over the onions.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add broth, whisking to incorporate.  Add tomatoes.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat.  Take the bread slices and top one slice with 2 slices of cheese.  Top with other bread slice.  Spread softened butter on the outer sides of the sandwiches.  Place in heated skillet and cover, cooking for about 1-2 minutes or until well toasted.  Flip sandwich over and cover and cook another 1-2 minutes until well toasted and cheese is melted.  Remove from skillet to a cutting board.  Allow to sit a few minutes to cool and so that cheese sets.  Cut into 1” cubes.

Serve soup in bowls topped with several grilled cheese croutons.

Apricot Lemon Chicken

I got a new cookbook!

Something I picked up at Home Goods.  I love that store!  As I was walking by browsing all the cool kitchen stuff this book was staring at me...it was.  And then it was calling me, "come over, buy me, buy me!"

I browsed through a couple of pages and I was hooked.  I know, it's not hard to do with me and cookbooks.  I already have a ton of them.  But one more won't hurt, will it?  What really grabbed me was all the pictures.  Don't you just love pictures in cookbook?  I don't want to buy a book if there aren't any pictures.  I like to ooohh, and aaahh over the pictures, and drool over what the finished product looks like.  They say we eat with our eyes, so putting pictures of wonderful food in a book only makes sense, right?  I know!

So "My Recipes America's Favorite Food" enters my life and BAM!  I open the book and land on a page with a killer recipe from Cooking Light.  Fast simple good food is what it's all about.  This chicken dish hits all the notes.  It cooks up in about 20 minutes so dinner's on the table in a flash.  The flavors are spectacular.  The curry powder lends a little heat to the chicken while the apricot and the lemon add sweetness add tang to the dish.  What a great compliment to each other.  

Once again MGG was "Mmmnnning" through the whole meal.  So I promptly told all my co-workers about this dish the next day at work.  Two of them made it and said their families just loved the flavors, and the cooks loved the quick and ease of the preparation.  

If you want to do yourself and your family a favor...make this!  You'll see!

I can't wait to make my next recipe from this book.

Apricot Lemon Chicken

by My Recipes America's Favorite Food - Cooking Light

4 servings - - Time 20 minutes

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Cooking spray

1/3 cup apricot spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 

Preparation

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub mixture over chicken.

2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm.

3. Add apricot spread, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water to pan, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with lemon rind.

Italian Grilled Cheese and a Panera Tutorial

It's the weekend and time for another great sandwich!

As you may recall I love hot sandwiches.  They just make them feel heartier...and toasty...and comforting.  So great during this cold winter we are having.

What could be more comforting that a grilled cheese sandwich.  We all grew up with them, didn't we?  I know I did.  All the ooey gooey cheese oozing out from between two toasted pieces of bread.  Today's sandwich doesn't disappoint, and it's bursting full of flavors.  It's the Italian version of a grilled cheese.  Every bit as good as the original.  Maybe better...you be the judge!

Before we get to the recipe though I had the opportunity to learn some sandwich tips from some great people over at Panera Bread.  Don't you just love Panera?  My whole family goes there and oohs and ahhs over the pastries and bread.  And then there's the salads, sandwiches and soups that are to die for.  Well, Panera really knows how to put a great sandwich together, and I'm going to share the 7 basic rules with you so you can create masterpieces of your own. 

Here are the seven basic sandwich making rules:

1.Start with great bread: The bread should be the inspiration for the filling, not vice versa. Bread isn't the carrier for getting things into your mouth, it’s the leading principle.
2. Slice it right: Denser breads, such as Whole Grain, should be cut to no more than 5/8 inch. More tender breads, such as Tomato Basil, should be sliced thicker (¾ inch). This ensures a happy marriage of bread and ingredients, plus you’ll make a sandwich that won’t fall apart.
3. Keep it simple: Keep the number of ingredients low but make sure they’re of the highest quality. Too many sandwiches are impressive to the eye but not to the palate. Here’s another way to look at it: The average mouth should be able to get all the elements in one bite. Stay away from the Dagwood effect.
4. Use a thin veneer of spread: Whether its mayo, mustard, or something special, spread it uniformly and completely across the surface of the bread. Every bite should feature its flavor.
5. Include an element of freshness: a slice of ripe tomato, a sprinkling of fresh herbs, some crunchy lettuce, or a bit of raw onion on a hot sandwich. A fresh pop makes the difference between a good sandwich and a great one.
6. Cut it carefully: Lots of promising sandwiches are ruined in the final stage by a dull knife. Use a serrated knife and let its weight do the work. Use a long sawing motion like you’re carving a turkey.
7. Eat it now: Sandwiches should be eaten within a couple hours of construction. You can extend their life by not putting tomatoes or spreads on the bread, but generally speaking, sandwiches are best when consumed immediately.

Isn't it interesting that there is a method and formula to making great sandwiches?  Hope you found these as helpful as I did.  Now onto today's recipe....yum!  Great ready for some cheesy goodness!

Italian Grilled Cheese
serves 2

Homemade or store-bought pesto
4 slices Italian bread, each no more than 1-inch thick
4 slices mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
butter

Line two of the bread slices with mozzarella and spread pesto on the other two bread slices, then put them together to make two sandwiches.

Butter both sides (on the outside) of each sandwich.  Place them in a heated skillet over medium heat.  Cover with a lid.  Cook, flipping once when the first side is golden brown.  Cover and cook the second size until the mozzarella melts and the bread is golden and toasty. Serve immediately.