A hot bowl of cream of tomato soup served with a grilled cheese sandwich for dipping was the first meal I ever made, and it’s one of my fondest food memories. November marks the Thanksgiving holiday and calls us to give thanks. Commensurate with the holiday, the Recipe Redux is challenging us to share a food memory along with a healthier ‘redo’.
I was in my preteen years, and I felt pretty acomplished when I sat down to this comforting meal I had mastered. The way I remember it, I used whole milk, added to a can of Campbell’s cream of tomato soup. Grilling the sandwich in a small fry pan was almost as simple, with margarine first spread on two slices of white Wonder bread and a slice of American cheese in between.
mmm… mmm…good!
Today my grilled cheese and tomato soup is just as comforting as it was back then, but it has evolved into a lighter, less processed meal. Fresh vegetables, canned tomatoes, chicken stock and basil are the start of this nutrient rich soup. It’s good with or without the addition of low fat cream cheese. Because I’m a sucker for thick crusty breads, my cheese sandwich is now made with a whole wheat baguette cut in triangles ( my preference for cutting a grilled cheese sandwich) topped with Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar (via the Cabot Cheese Board). Popping a tray of these darlings under the broiler eliminates the need for any extra fat. Final touches? More basil please! Now, don’t let the fact I am calling my cheese sandwich a tartine throw you. That’s a fancy word for open faced sandwich. But pleassse.. feel free to eat with your fingers! And don’t forget to check to see what food memories my colleagues are sharing in the links below. Happy Thanksgiving!
What was the first meal you ever made?
Cream of Tomato Soup with Cheese Tartines
A lighter version of cream of tomato soup served with cheese tartines.
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
for the tomato soup
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil +2 Tablespoons
- 3 cups chicken stock or reduced sodium chicken broth
- fresh black pepper to taste
- 6 Tablespoons of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
Instructions
1.Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute.
2. Add tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, 1/4 cup basil, chicken broth and pepper and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
2. Allow to cool and puree in a blended or process through a food mill,discarding any dry pulp. Return to pot over low heat. Stir in reduced fat cream cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. Makes 8 appetizer servings or 6 meal servings.
for the cheese tartines (makes 16)
1. Slice baguette into 4- 2 inch pieces. Half each piece, as if to create a top and bottom. Cut each squre in half along the diagonal to create a triangle. (Each 2 inch piece will create 4 triangle pieces.)
2. Top each piece with sliced cheddar cheese.
3. Place under the broiler and cook until cheese is melted, watching carefully so as not to burn. Top with remaining thinnly sliced basil.
Yum! I don’t think I’ve had a good tomato soup in years!
Hope you’ll give this one a try this fall/winter.
Yummy! I make lots of soups but never tomato soup for some reason – pinning for the cold weather days ahead 😉
Probably the first meal I ever made was Betty Crocker pancakes – I had that recipe memorized from my mom’s 1970 cook book 🙂
Pancakes your first! (I by frozen pancakes because I still can’t make them right.) You must share your tips for dummies. Hope you enjoy the tomato soup and the tartines are a good way to use that yummy Cabot cheese!
I absolutely low how you added carrots to your version of this soup. I ate so many grilled cheese sandwiches w/ tomato soup growing up and loved every bite. I have lots of great food memories from growing up, so I’d have to say that my mom’s baked ziti tops the list as does my nana’s lemon sponge cake.
Thanks, Liz. The carrot and onion both help to make the soup less acidic. Your food memories sound delicious; it’s nice you have both sweet and savory memories.
What a great story. I love your grown-up, sophisticated take on a childhood favorite!
Thank you Candace, it was fun to reminisce and re-make an oldie but goodie!
This made me think of my parents, they are a ton of tomato soup when I was a kid
Hold on to your memories! They are important.
An old favorite of mine as well!
Hope you’ll give this version a try sometime, Francesca!
So fun to remake your first dish..I did the same to my favorite linguine with clams!
You always remember your first!
What a great story, Diane. I recall my first foods made by myself were actually hamburgers… I remember mixing the meat with seasonings and Worcestershire… then pan frying them. That’s not really my type of “meal” anymore, but I love the memory 🙂
It’s fun to see how our culinary skills have evolved with our nutrition education. Maybe that’s where we are most influential.
Love your cheese tartine idea. Going to try them in my new toaster oven.
And I still love grilled cheese and tomato soup! Had it last week. So comforting.
Yes, Marisa. Toaster ovens are perfect for this. I actually did mine ina Breville oven. Couldn’t live without it!
I used to loveeee grilled cheese and tomato soup as a kid. I will definitely have to bring it back but with your healthier twist!
Yes, it’s such a kid friendly meal. I hope you’ll give my ‘redo’ a try!
agreed. there is something terrificly comforting about cream of tomato soup and grilled cheese. these look ideal… especially with the gooey melted cabot cheese.
Thank you, Gretchen. Love me some Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar. I think this soup would also be good with your cheddar pull apart bread.
Cream of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich was one of the first “fancy” meals I ever tried to make. I had a recipe from Gourmet for roasted tomato and cream soup and was making a smoked gouda grilled cheese to pair with it. It was all going great until the blender exploded scalding hot soup all over me and my pretty sandwiches! Your take looks awesome!
Oh no! You only have to blend hot liquids and have them explode once because the aftermath is memorable. (Yes, I have done that) That combination sounds wonderful. You should try it again!
Perfect choice, Diane! I have great memories of tomato soup and grilled cheese myself!
Thank you, Cindy. Hope you’ll enjoy it again soon!