Cream of Tomato Soup + Oven-Baked Pane Tuscano Cheese Sandwiches

This Sunday morning got me in the mood to search recipes through some intriguing fashion and food blogs. I love searching through blogs because they either have unique recipes that come from their own creations or they rave about a popular recipe on big websites (FoodNetwork.com, Epicurious.com, etc.)

Looking through a blog, I came across this recipe and it reminded me of my old cross-country days in DC where the tradition was to make a post-race stop at Panera Bread for lunch. The Vegetarian Creamy Tomato soup topped with Asiago croutons has always been my order every time I make a visit. My first attempt at a creamy tomato soup turned out wonderfully with no need for any improvement, as my mom insisted!

Several alternations I made was substituting the basil leaves for the dried kind and substituting the heavy cream with this easy to make recipe since I didn't have basil and heavy cream in hand. The soup recipe called for 3/4 cups of the heavy cream and I accidentally dumped in the whole cup of the heavy cream mixture. Fortunately, the soup was still perfect.

The blender and colander worked just like a food mill, which I didn't have. Just blend a third portion at a time and strain to discard the seeds and skins, reserving the creamy broth. (Note: you could also try blending in garbanzo beans or lentils for extra protein punch!)

I also whipped up the classic grilled cheese but this time, with Pane Tuscano bread instead of the regular pre-sliced bread. DELICIOUS. You can't go wrong with rustic bread because it adds so much flavor and texture. Slice the bread into half an inch thick slices and into halves, melt butter in the microwave and use a brush to soak one side of each slice with butter (or you can use olive oil for a healthier version). Slice up some Monterey Jack cheese and sprinkle a little shredded parmesan into the sandwiches. Top with another slice of bread, butter (or oil) side up. Sprinkle dried oregano and parmesan on top of each sandwich. Bake at 450 degrees until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. They cook pretty fast so be sure to keep an eye on it!

Great comfort food for days you don't give a crap and dinner could not be any better... Even better if served on a cold rainy/snowy day!