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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Grilled Cheese And Tomato Soup...Not Your Mother's Recipe!


Even a simple meal doesn't have to be THAT simple... A classic pairing in America is tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich! Well! We just can't leave it at that- let's see how we can put an evening gown on a jeans and sweater kind of dish!
The sandwich is easy..we all grew up eating American cheese slices(we fondly call it "Nerd" cheese!). It is actually classified as cheese food- not really cheese at all- but this comes from a nation who invented orange colored marshmallow peanuts that have the half life of Radium.. Change the bread from white, hydrogenated air bread, to a whole or cracked grain bread with substance. Then use real cheese, one that melts readily and tastes great too- Havarti! Real butter on the outside of the sandwich getting grilled, and you are there!
The soup is a little fancier... One can of your everyday condensed tomato soup, made with one can of milk, not water. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, fresh corn off the cob and a bit of chopped fresh onion. Add sour cream to it, and a hefty dose of dried basil, black pepper, and a bit of salt. Simmer until onions are getting tender..add croutons if you are of a mind! It's creamy, rich, and tastes great along side a real grilled cheese sandwich!
Simple things done well...learn it, live it!

47 comments:

Kate said...

It's not quite as melty, but I love swiss cheese for my grilled cheese. And when I'm feeling decadent, I use fat free evaporated milk instead of water. It's like making it with cream. Ummmmmmmmmm.....

buffalodick said...

Kate- A good baby Swiss works well, and evaporated milk works too!

Carma Sez said...

grilled and tom soup are one of the best combos ever invented :D

Barbara said...

I'm not a huge fan of tomato soup, but this one I could get my spoon into!
I like a mixture of cheeses in my grilled cheese. I know you like Havarti..you've talked about it before.

Pretty Zesty said...

I think that this is the best combination ever!!

Carma Sez said...

and havarti cheese - I could eat that like nobody's business!!

Heff said...

You just changed a can of tomato soup to me FOREVER !

Chef E said...

"let's see how we can put an evening gown on a jeans and sweater kind of dish!" how poetic, I love it!

Now that sounds like a good meal to me no matter what, I will just have house shoes on as I consume this, oh did I just spill the beans...

The Good Cook said...

Yum... All American comfort food.

Liz Mays said...

Last time I was in NYC, I did indeed have a grilled Havarti cheese sandwich and it was amazing!

Christo Gonzales said...

now to get you out of using processed foods to begin with - trust me its just as simple to eliminate the canned soup - maybe not as quick but you have a better handle on the salt intake...

Akelamalu said...

We have Crumbly Lancashire Cheese melted on home made granary bread, after spreading the bread with caramelised onion and garlic chutney. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Char said...

You're right, you HAVE to have tomato soup with grilled cheese. Cheese "food" or not, I love mine made with Velveta the best.

jules said...

Sounds divine!!! Sometimes I add a slice of bacon or a tomato to the grilled cheese too. So hungry now!

buffalodick said...

carma- simple, but not a cheap slide into a meal!
Barb- It is an elegant, yet simple cheese with flavor and good melt capabilities..
Kris- Try it, you'll love it!
heff- It is great for a simple meal...
ChefE- It's a simple dish..only elevated to gourmet..
Good Cook- That is what it is, with a little make-up put on..
BlueV- Great melting cheese, with a ton of flavor left!
DogB- when the corn is no salt, as well as the tomatoes and sour cream, it actually needs some sea salt!
Ake- I'd eat that in a heartbeat!
Char- Well, we grew up on it...
Jules- Nice touch to yours!

Marjie said...

There is little I like better than a good bowl of tomato soup! And I like my grilled cheese with tomato on rye. Try it!

buffalodick said...

Cheese, tomato and rye bread is excellent together!

Brian Miller said...

way to kick up the tomato soup a bit...i like sour cream in mine too...very cool. will have to try a havarti grilled cheese.

buffalodick said...

Brian- You will not be disappointed!

Sarah said...

I grew up on this...well, not THIS...but tomato soup made with milk and grilled cheese sandwiches. That's a ramped up tom soup!

pam said...

A REAL grilled cheese sandwich is at the top of my list.

Full-On-Forward said...

Again,

SIMPLE BUT GOOD!!!!!

That's your mantra!!!

Great stuff!


John

Jen said...

Mmmmm...my favorite meal when I'm not feeling well.

G-Man said...

If you've got the time, Thats the way to Rock!
Mmmmmmm...Buttttter.

Odat said...

Yum!! Love grilled cheese...I was never fond of tomato soup but your recipe may be one I'd try!
Peace and hope you're doing well...:-)

Mike Minzes said...

Elegant yet simple..except the chopping part. I'm not good at chopping stuff.

American cheese. I lived on the stuff during college...and grade school....well, pretty much the first half of my life until I discovered provolone.

Vickie said...

Yum - love grilled cheese with good bread and real cheese. I don't eat canned soups, but I look forward to trying corn and onion in my next tomato soup.

pinknest said...

One of my favorite combinations! And I haven't had it in awhile. Thanks for reminding me. I do like a little bit o' tomato in my sandwich.

Taste of Beirut said...

Well I did not grow up eating this but I would not mind being served that and enjoying some strong and straightforward flavors!

buffalodick said...

Fingers- I think we all had this for Saturday lunch while growing up!
Pam- Many ways to doll this sandwich up!
John- When we don't know what to have, we have this a lot!
Jen- Comfort food at its best!
G-man- I always feel better after this kind of meal..
Odat- Good to hear from you!
R.L.M.- The stuff everybody ate, but no one admits to!
Vick- The corn sweetened it quite well, along with a texture of crisp..
Pink- Or bacon is good too!
Beirut- Welcome to the blog!

sage said...

i shouldn't stop here right before lunch... it sounds great and the calories of that can of Campbell's went up exponentially with the sour cream. But it sounds good!

buffalodick said...

sage- It richens the dish to a cream soup..I never claimed I cooked low cal!

The Blonde Duck said...

My husband thinks Macaroni out of the box is the best. I doubt I could talk him into a real cheese sandwich.

buffalodick said...

BlondeD- You must convince him!

Anonymous said...

A meal of my dreams.

One grandson that comes wants egg salad sandwiches to dunk in his tomato soup and the littler guy wants grilled cheese to dunk in his tomato soup. I can dunk either and tomato soup in the only soup that I like to add crackers to.

Today's lunch is grilled ham and cheese with thin slices of red onion. Sadly no soup this time. No delish HAVARTI either. I just had colby in the house today.

Sometimes when I'm making tomato soup I'll put one can of soup, one can of evaporated condensed milk or half & half (if I have any) and 1/2 cup of salsa (medium). I don't want to go too hot for the little guys. And a dash of powdered garlic and a bit of dill weed or fresh dill when it's available. It makes for a neat blend.

I love you basil idea. And I agree it must be butter. Great minds think alike.

Good cooking Mr.

J-

buffalodick said...

J.J.- Not bad..Not bad at all!

Anonymous said...

I am loving that sandwich! and the soup too. I've been known to take a can of tomato soup and dress it up. Good stuff. Those orange peanuts things are just hideous! I had forgotten about those things.

Anonymous said...

See you friday, I am starving. Feed me!!!

snowelf said...

You are preaching to the choir unclebuf!! I always make my grilled cheeses with a variety of cheese. I don't even buy "cheese food" Bleech! My brother is a cheesemaker and I just can't bring myself to do it. :P Plus, I have a sad sad crazy cheese addiction. Usually it's pepper jack mixed with colby jack, or just straight pepper jack at our house. I also like the really thick multigrain bread. Yum!

--snow

Jamie said...

Oh, you have just brought back an amazing culinary memory of my youth: grilled cheese sandwich and canned tomato soup! And yours is so fabulous! I love how you have dressed up the soup. Excellent!

C... said...

Wow that sounds really good!

buffalodick said...

Highlander- I haven't had one of those orange things in years!
Bama- I'm cooking on it all day today! I think you'll like it!
snowniece- I like so many different cheeses....
Jamie- It was pretty tasty stuff..
c- Welcome to the blog!

Sook said...

Oh I love grilled cheese and the soup would go grat with it, I am sure.

Gloria Baker said...

Buffalo I love this type of soup! yummy!!! have a lovely weekend, huggs gloria

buffalodick said...

Sook- These two foods were a match made in Heaven..
Gloria- If you dress it a up a bit, it's really good!

Pam said...

I love tomato soup and grilled cheese. I bet the havarti is wonderful.
Gypsy

buffalodick said...

Gypsy- great melty cheese!