Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Melt Squares and Smokey Bacon

It all started with a quick trip to Hy-Hope Farm on a cold Sunday morning ....

 

.... for a big cup of hot apple cider, freshly baked bran and nut muffins, tomato salsa, butter tarts and this smokey bacon.

 

Since we were bracing for another polar vortex warning that day, I was craving for a comfort food where I can use the smokey bacon. I fried it to a crisp and thought of eating it with hot boiled rice with lots of ketchup - oh the comfort food of my youth! But then I decided to make something fancy out of the Campbell's tomato soup I found in the pantry. Instead of plain croutons, I topped the soup with grilled Chedar cheese melt squares and smokey bacon crisp.

 

The saltiness of the cheese melting in between the crusty grilled bread complementing the sweet and creamy tomato soup is tried and tested comfort food. But the smokey flavor of the crispy bacon made this dish a true gustatory delight!

Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Melt Squares and Smokey Bacon

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 small cans Campbell's condensed tomato soup 

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup  milk

1/2 tsp dried  rosemary or tarragon

1 tsp ground pepper

Procedure:

Heat the soup, water, and milk in a medium pot over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally

Season with herb and ground pepper

Serve in individual bowl topped with grilled cheese melt squares and crispy bacon

Best wine pairing : Sauvignon Blanc

 

Grilled Cheese Melt Squares

 

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

4 pieces sandwich bread (I used Country Harvest ancient grain), trim off crust

3 ounces coarsely grated Chedar Cheese (or 2 slices thick Chedar cheese if using singles)

 

Procedure:
Butter all the bread slices on one side only.
Put twos lices of bread, buttered side down, on a cutting board.
Distribute the cheese over the bread slices.
Top with the remaining bread, buttered side up.

Heat a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Put the sandwich on the griddle cook until the cheese has just begun to melt and the bread is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Turn the sandwich, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten it slightly.
Cook the sandwich until the bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute.
Turn it  once more and press with the spatula again to recrisp the bread, about 30 seconds. Cut the sandwich in quarter to make 4 little squares

Crispy Bacon

Separate 5 bacon pieces from each other and place them side by side in the cold skillet.
Place the skillet over medium heat.
The bacon will begin to sizzle and turn translucent.
Keep turning the bacon frequently for even cooking until both sides are golden brown.
Remove from pan and transfer on a paper towel to drain. 
Cut in small pieces.