The remnants of Hurricane Ian blew through Pennsylvania this weekend. There was enough rain predicted that our township canceled every age division’s weekend soccer game. Ari’s game was rescheduled for this evening, which meant that I needed to plan something simple for dinner tonight.
I flipped through the pages of my recipe binder on Saturday evening. I came up empty-handed due to the objections of my children who refuse to eat slow-cooker chili or lasagna. One won’t eat baked mac and cheese. The other… Oh, does it really matter?!?! They’re difficult to cook for these days.
“I could make grilled cheese and tomato soup,” I suggested to Ari after he said no to pretty much every recipe I could be made ahead of time.
“I don’t like tomato soup,” he said.
“You’ve never tried tomato soup,” I replied. “But you like grilled cheese. Grilled cheese and tomato soup are a classic combination. You’ll love it.”
I went online and found a recipe for scratch tomato soup, which I made yesterday afternoon. I figured I’d warm it up quickly this evening while making the grilled cheese sandwiches. (Note to any GF readers: Sub Bob’s All-Purpose Gluten-free Flour for AP flour. Also, sub a seeded and/or thick gluten-free bread in the classic grilled cheese recipe.)
This afternoon, I received an email that the township was canceling all make-up games and practices scheduled for tonight because of the ongoing rain. We may not need an ark, but it was cold and rainy enough to warrant another cancelation. So, I could’ve made dinner after all! But, I DIDN’T HAVE TO since it was halfway made.
So there I was, grating cheese and using a panini grill on a rainy fall evening. This turned out to be the perfect meal for tonight’s weather, I mused as I ladled the soup into bowls. In truth, I was giddy about how this would be the best grilled cheese I’ve ever made. I’m going to be a dinner-making hero.
Isabelle’s response was positive. “This is as good as the grilled cheese at Hersheypark!” Not exactly the comparison I would’ve liked. But it was better than Ari’s comment, which was “This cheese is awful.”
Well, at least he wasn’t complaining about the soup.
In the end, Isabelle consumed two-thirds of the child-size portion of soup and her entire sandwich. (In truth, she didn’t love the soup, but she knew she’d get ice cream afterwards if she tried something new without fretting.) Ari nibbled on half of the grilled cheese sandwich and downed a couple of spoonfuls of tomato soup. Apparently, he really doesn’t like tomato soup.
Raising Literate Humans 
The soup and sandwich look delicious. I am a soup lover, especially in the winter. I think the best grilled cheese and tomato soup I’ve had was in Boston during NCTE. Your children are lucky you give them input on meals, Around here I make what I like and rarely seek an okay from the others in the house. I figure if I have to cook, everyone can eat what I want.
Something like that happened tonight. I made pasta with Swiss chard. They were NOT happy.
Including pictures, dialogue, and the tomato soup recipe really enhanced this piece, and you created a gourmet meal out of a classic combination. I never thought of making tomato soap. I was always reach for a can of Campbell’s instead. Did you know grilled cheese and tomato soap go well with hot cocoa or a chocolate shake?
I didn’t know that!
What a great slice! I can relate to, well, everything! I especially like the way you brought me into your head as you prepared the meal…I was just as optimistic about the outcome!!
Let me praise the effort. Home made tomato soup sounds divine. That combo is my childhood and adult favorite. I usually fall back on canned soup and deli cheese.
Nothing wrong with canned soup. I grew up eating Campbell’s! My mom has always hated to cook as where I love it.
One of my favorite fall meals is soup of almost any kind. Unfortunately I can’t do dairy anymore, and vegan cheese just does not make a good sandwich. Your slice made me miss this meal! Oh well, I’ll go heat up the Italian Wedding Soup I made at the end of last week. : )
Cooking for multiple kids…with opinions plus busy schedules makes life a little trickier. We had a rain day on Saturday and it was so lovely…not rushing! I hope you enjoyed a little extra relaxing. You certainly had the right comfort foods ready to go!
This looks delicious. I’ve never made homemade tomato soup, but I’m willing to give it a try (thanks for the link to the recipe). My youngest, 13, now enjoys this combo and I do a happy little dance when we can have it for dinner.
I have to admit I am not a tomato soup fan, although that grilled cheese sounds delightfully fancy (I have never grated cheese for a grilled cheese- maybe I have to try this!). I love the way we got your inner thinking and the final results!
I’ve never made tomato soup from scratch! I should try it.
Picky children…I have the same problem! I love how you’ve captured the dialog here.