Tuscan Pesto Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Wedges

Would you like your family to look at you as though you have completely lost your mind? Tell them you are making Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, then put an empty glass on a salad plate for serving. Let me tell you, the looks on their faces are priceless.

I’ll let you in on some interesting discoveries about this soup. The glass gets really hot, so have it on the plate and pour the soup in without touching the glass. I was concerned that the soup might cool down quickly served in a short drinking glass. Surprisingly, just the opposite is true. Two things come into play to keep the soup piping hot. First, the glass itself gets really hot, and stays that way. Secondly, the surface is smaller than a traditional soup bowl, so less of the surface is exposed to the air temperature of the room. While you could still dunk your grilled cheese into a soup bowl, it’s more fun to dunk it in a glass of soup. Anything out of the ordinary is fun, right?

Tuscan Pesto Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Wedges
Tuscan Pesto Tomato Soup
1 Shallot, finely minced
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 (14 oz) cans Italian Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Chicken Stock
3/4 cup Half and Half
3 tablespoons Basil Pesto
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and finely mince the shallot. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium low heat. Add diced shallots and cook until they are softened. Add tomatoes and bring them to a simmer. Add the chicken stock and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add half and half and pesto. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup or blend in a food processor or blender (in batches) until you have a smooth consistency.

Return soup to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep warm until you are ready to serve it.

When ready to serve, make the grilled cheese wedges.

Grilled Cheese Wedges
8 slices Deluxe American Cheese
8 slices Bread
Butter for grilling

Lay 2 slices of cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Top with remaining bread slices. Lightly brush bread tops with butter. Place on a warm grill, buttered side down, and grill until golden. Brush top side with butter. When ready, flip and grill until golden and cheese has melted.

Ladle the soup into a two cup measuring cup with a spout and pour into each serving glass.

Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles, balance 1 triangle on the glass, with 3 triangles around the base of the glass. Serve and enjoy.