Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Creamy Tomato Soup  
Serves 6 for appetizer portions, 4 for entree portions

2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes
6 c. chicken stock {or vegetable stock}
1/2 c. to 3/4 c. Thousand Island dressing {depending how creamy you would like it}
Cream fraiche or sour cream for garnish {optional}
Chopped chives for garnish {optional}

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place cherry or grape tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Using your hands, turn the tomatoes to evenly coat them in oil, salt and pepper, and place baking sheet in oven. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until tomatoes burst. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat remaining peanut oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until onion is softened and a pale yellow. Add canned tomatoes, roasted tomatoes and chicken stock and stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 10 minutes and then remove from heat. Blend soup in a blender in batches until desired consistency is reached. Pour soup back into pot and place over medium heat. Add Thousand Island dressing and heat until soup is warm. Serve with grilled cheese {recipe below}.

Grilled Cheese  
Serves 1

1 tablespoon butter
2 slices Italian batard
2 oz. Gruyère, thinly sliced

Note: this recipe makes 1 grilled cheese sandwich.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Preheat an iron skillet over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread, and then assemble the sandwich on a plate with the buttered sides of the bread facing out. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and cook to brown.

Place the sandwich in the pan and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip sandwich, and cook for 1 more minute. Place skillet in oven for a few more minutes until cheese has completely melted. Remove skillet from heat and serve immediately.