It has been so cold here this past week, and it looks like it will continue for awhile. The best thing for a cold day? Surely it’s grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Right? I tried a new recipe over the holidays and wanted to share it with you. The Greek yogurt adds a wonderfully healthy creaminess to the soup. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as mine did.
Tomato, Basil and Cheese Soup
(found on Pinterest, originally from the More Fruit Please blog.)
2 (28 oz) cans of diced tomatoes
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, loosely packed
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Add olive oil to a large pot. Over medium heat, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes (until tender). Add in the chopped garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in the cans of tomatoes (juice and all) and the vegetable stock. Stir in the basil, sugar, salt, pepper and oregano. Let this simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.
After 10 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the greek yogurt and cheese, mixing until blended. Use an immersion blender (these things are the best – I use it to slightly thicken all of my homemade soups) or food processor to puree the soup. Garnish with additional chopped basil and grated cheddar cheese if desired.
As for the grilled cheese sandwiches, I think the best ones come from Mimi’s Cafe. I found a copycat recipe (which I shared here) that comes pretty close to those. But we generally simplify things for regular grilled cheese eating. (Like not using that many different kinds of cheese.) I like sourdough bread for our grilled cheese, and I always butter the outside of the bread and lay that butter side down into a pile of grated parmesan so that it forms a wonderful cheesy crust on the outside of the sandwich as it grills. YUM.
Have a great weekend and be sure to check the blog next week, as we have new things to share with you, including the First Quarter Challenge for 2013!
Sheri hopingformoresnow,aslongasit’sgoingtobecoldanyway
Thanks for the link to the grilled cheese recipe, Sheri – it sounds delicious (and such a nice change from left-over turkey, haha). I hope 2013 is the best year ever for TLE. Happy New Year to you all!
I’ll have to try the parmesan-crusted grilled cheese. It sounds delicious!
My latest grilled cheese is from the Joy the Baker cookbook and it is more like dessert than dinner. It involves cream cheese and Nutella. So wonderfully decadent!
I am going to try this soup. It looks yummy! My favorite thing at Mimi’s is the breaded zucchini sticks- delicious!
Another great addition to tomato soup is pesto, dolloped in when you serve it.
I’ve been making a lot of carrot ginger soup, since the carrots at the farmers market have been stupendous this year. Lots of ginger, and big dollop of our homemade Sriracha sauce for extra heat.
The snow came here, and my reward for keeping sidewalks cleared was some WM … the aspen trees and zenzi might brighten my world. Currently, my homemade beef stew tops the list of favorites on a snowy day (and you get 3 hrs of knitting time while it simmers).
Oh, this sounds like a wonderful tomato soup recipe! I will make it this weekend. I was reading another recipe recently that called for cubed grilled cheese sandwich bits sprinkled on top – such a fun idea!
I love soup in the winter! This tomato soup (one of my favorites, but usually with milk from concentrate) sounds so easy and good, too! And I’ll have to try your parmesan-crusted grilled cheese. I like to add tomatoes to my grilled cheese, if there are any around. Mom used to add sliced pickles to hers.
Thanks for these recipes!
Happy New Year!
I love the recipes that you share with us and have to say I have tried a number of them.
Funny thing we had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup last night. It’s one of my all time favorite on a snowy, cold, winter day which was exactly what it was like here yesterday. ! Next time I will be able to add a new twist to a family favorite.
Thanks for sharing.
Can’t wait till next week —— I’m so ready to find out what the First Quarter Challenge is…….. Time for some selfish knitting after all the Christmas knitting. Unless the challenge involves knitting for a baby– been there done that! Come to think of it I got that covered too!
Winter is beginning to show it’s seasonal temps.
Soup and sandwich time, for sure
Am eager to learn of our 1st Qtr 2013 Challenge
Hugs
For grilled cheese sandwiches I first sauté onions and mushrooms. I put mayo on each bread slice, then sweet pickle relish and then the onions & mushrooms and finally cheese (either Monterey Jack or Mozzarella). Grill in butter on both sides. Thanks for this tomato soup recipe. Sounds like a real winner. P.S. My husband is mad about your Congo Bars!!
Yummy~ Love tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I will have to try your soup- it sounds delicious.
It snowed 3.8 inches at my house on Christmas day! It was beautiful! We don’t get alot of snow in the part of Texas where I live. I know you love the snow! I think it is a perfect time to be around the fireplace and knit!
Since it is snowing here we had tomato soup and grilled cheese also but I use sharp cheddar and smoked gouda in the sandwich and a slice of ham or piece of bacon. Might as well go all the way on calories. Back to my knitting, Woodland Walk Shawl using my DIC december yarn for a prayer shawl for a friend.
Oops- I’m using my stars at night DIC for the shawl not my club yarn. It is sooo pretty in this pattern
Very tasty soup; thanks for sharing the recipe! This will be my new go-to tomato soup recipe. So quick, easy, and delicious!
My mouth is watering now! mmmm! 🙂
Oh that sounds DELICIOUS, I am definitely going to have to try this.
I made this soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for supper tonight. They were both very delish!!! I was very hesitant of the yogurt but……….YUM!