This month’s Kosher Connection link-up is all about comfort food. I had a hard time decided just which food I should share with you. I decided to share with you a food and a memory that brings comfort to me. Be sure to scroll all the way down to the end of this post to see some other great recipes from my fellow Kosher Connection bloggers!
I have several defining food moments of my life. Many of them revolve around lazy Sundays with my family. My parents would both be cooking in the kitchen and my sisters and I would be running from room to room taking in the delicious smells, and probably engaged in some sibling rivalry.
Sundays were days filled with a bustle of activity. Our days were spent running from swimming to pottery to theater at the JCC, and then home for a warm supper around the family table. One of my dad’s specialties is a loaded grilled cheese sandwich. My sisters and I would gobble that sandwich up.
This grilled cheese was never just standard white bread and American cheese. It was always filled with surprises. Some days it would be tomato and onion within the gooey cheese. Other days, we might find a sprinkling of sunflower seeds hidden inside. We always enjoyed it.
Later in college, whenever I was in the mood for that taste of home, I would order up a grilled cheese sandwich. Like during my childhood, it always had stuff in it. It was often filled with provolone, onions and mushrooms. On a rainy day, I would add a cup of soup to the meal. I learned to love creamy tomato soup on those rainy New York days. Dipping a corner of grilled cheese in to that soup and chowing down – that spelled out a bit of heaven.
Pure comfort on a plate.
I thought I’d share this fabulous meal with you today.
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground pepper
- 1 - 28 oz. can of roasted tomatoes
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup half & half
- additional salt and pepper to taste
- In a large soup pot, heat up the olive oil on medium-high heat.
- Add in the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and herbs.
- Cook on medium-high for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes.
- After a couple minutes of cooking, add in the vegetable broth.
- Let the soup come to a boil and then turn down the heat to medium low and cover the pot.
- Let the soup simmer covered for about 45 minutes.
- Check on the soup. The carrots should have softened.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender.
- Stir in the half & half.
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning.
- Serve and enjoy!
- 1 tbsp. butter
- ½ tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 3-4 slices cooked veggie bacon, optional (or the real bacon!)
- 4 slices of your favorite hearty bread
- 2 slices Provolone cheese
- 2 slices Cheddar cheese
- 2 slices Swiss Cheese
- Butter for grilling the sandwiches
- Heat up the butter and olive oil in a saute pan.
- Once the butter has melted, add in the onions. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook the onions slowly until caramelized. About 15-20 minutes.
- Once the onions begin to caramelize, add in the garlic and sliced mushrooms. Let those cook and soften as well.
- Remove from heat once onions are done and set aside.
- Cook the veggie bacon or regular bacon in a pan or in the oven or per directions on the package. Set aside.
- Make the sandwich. Place a slice of provolone on the bread slice and then layer the onions and mushrooms then cheese then bacon then more cheese and then the other slice of bread.
- Butter the outside of the bread.
- Grill in a fry pan over medium-high heat until brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
