Soup and Sandwich

One of the local supermarkets advertises "Bread hot at 5PM or it's free!" In my entire history of shopping there I've never felt a hot loaf of bread on their shelves. Surprisingly they have not relinquished this offer. I always feel like a bit of an ass shopping for a free loaf of bread, but hey; free bread.

One of the first things (perhaps the very first thing) I ever learned to make was Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Since then, I've learned a few tricks to enhance the experience. The quality of cheese is important (processed slices have their place when you're a kid, but just don't cut it when you're an adult), the quality of the bread is important (preferably something combining a crisp crust with a soft center) but really, there's one thing that I think sets apart my grilled cheese sandwich from yours: oregano.

Without the oregano (and rub of garlic) this sandwich would just be some cheese and bread, but a little bit of this herb adds a whole new dimension. I've been told that I make the best grilled sandwich in the world (only by one person and many years ago, but it still counts!) so you may want to try this little alteration the next time you make a grilled cheese. A panini grill wouldn't hurt, either.

I can't imagine another soup paired with grilled cheese than Tomato Soup. I don't know if that's also conditioning from my youth, but it just works so well. Of all the soups I make, this one is the easiest. For the price of a can of tomato soup you can make enough to feed a large family. Not only is it inexpensive and more nutritious, but it also tastes better. A lot better. Sure, it takes a little bit longer to prepare, but that's a small sacrifice in my opinion.

For dessert I had some leftover pumpkin from the Circus Peanut Pumpkin recipe, so I made up a few Pumpkin Tarts. They taste so good with a little dollop of cream cheese at the bottom! I don't know anyone that doesn't like pumpkin pie and there's nothing better on a cold winter day than a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of tomato soup. I'm probably going to reconsider this down the road when the temperature drops substantially lower and I'm faced with a roast beef dinner, but I'm certainly satisfied with tonight's meal, no matter how simple it may be.