Tomato Soup, not the Campbell kind.

Tomato soup and a grilled cheese on hearty bread is one of my go-to meals when I want something simple but tasty. It’s easy to mix it up. Grilled cheese can be made in so many fun combinations. A great place to look is Closet Cooking- the jalepeño popper grilled cheese is on my to-try list! Some of my favorites are…

• Apple and Cheddar
• Brie, Ham and Cranberry Sauce (A great after Thanksgiving option!)
• Using a leftover warm cheese spread… Vidala Onion is delicious!

Tomato soup…. First thing: forget Campbell’s and other canned varieties. Eeewww. Sweet, sickly, over-processed, with a shelf life longer your lifetime. You can make a wonderful and easy tomato soup with only a few common pantry ingredients.

• Pureed Tomatoes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Thyme and Basil
• White Wine
• Chicken Broth or Bullion
• Water
• Onions
• Garlic
• Chili Flakes

Start with a few tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a saucepan. Chop up half an onion and

a few cloves of garlic. Sauté them until soft and fragrant. Add a sprinkle of thyme and basil, along with a little more oil if needed. Let them cook in the oil, but only for a few moments otherwise they will burn! This is called “blooming” the spices. Season with salt and pepper. Add a can pureed tomatoes or unflavored tomato sauce. You can puree diced tomatoes in the food processor or blender if you don’t have any pureed on hand. Add a cup or so of chicken broth to thin the tomatoes and add flavor, if needed. For a vegan/vegetarian option use simply water or vegetable broth. Season this layer with salt and pepper, along with a pinch or so of chili flakes for a little heat. Add about a 1/4c. of white wine for flavor. Simmer on low for a few minutes then enjoy!

Options…

• Blend low-fat cottage cheese in the blender and enjoy a spoonful on top of your soup. A great low-fat alternative to ricotta, and also adds some protein to your meal!
• Add about a 1/4c of heavy cream for a rich and elegant flavor.
• Top with fresh Basil, Thyme or Oregano
• Sauté seasonal vegetables with the onions… Zucchini, Kale, Peppers…
• If they are in season, use fresh tomatoes!
• Top with freshly grated Asiago Cheese
• Spice it up with Tony’s Creole Seasoning! This is a favorite seasoning at my house, we use it daily on everything from eggs to soups!
• For a Mexican twist top your soup with tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream or plain yogurt, queso blanco and cilantro. This would be similar to a soup called “Sopa Azteca” that I consumed in large quantities while living in México. ( ;

I had so much fun taking these pictures, and like the way they turned out… The black and the red? Yes please!

Now, go make yourself some REAL tomato soup!

This recipe has been published to Taste Spotting!

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