Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup and Fancy Grilled Cheese

I am back to cooking (my true love) and so excited to debut this delicious recipe.  Its not quite cold out but I have been so ready for soup season that now is as good of a time as any to try this delicious soup!  We decided to pair this with Fancy Grilled Cheese (which is my take on grilled cheese).  

This soup is so good you MUST not wait for Fall weather to come (depending on where you live maybe its already here).  I am not going to say much more other than this soup is so easy and the flavors are so delicious...you must run to the grocery store and make it!

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup 

Ingredients: 

• 1 to 2 tbsp of good olive oil (we use dry creek olive oil from California)
• 1 small to medium red onion, chopped 
• 1 cup carrots, chopped 
• 2 roasted red peppers 
• 1 russet potato (pealed and chopped) 
• 1 sweet potato (pealed and chopped) 
• 5 cups of vegetable stock (If you like a thicker soup use 3 or 4 cups)
• 1 28 fl oz crushed tomatoes (you can use whole or chopped if that's what you have)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasonings (either store bought or homemade or use whatever you have that is close)
• Salt & Pepper to taste 

Directions: 

1. Roast red peppers in oven, peal skins and cut into pieces (or buy roasted red peppers and skip this step)
2. In a large pot, sauté onions & carrots in olive oil over medium heat (until the onions are translucent) 
3. Add in vegetable stock and tomatoes and Italian seasonings and stir 
4. Increase heat to medium-high and add in the potatoes 
5. Cook potatoes in tomato mixture until soft, aprox 15 to 20 minutes 
6. Add in roasted peppers and salt and pepper to taste 
7. Blend soup until smooth (either use a stick blender in your pot or pour soup into a blender)

Fancy Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

• Good Whole Wheat Bread (if you plan ahead I would recommend making Artisan Bread)
• Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Turkey Bacon
• Olive Oil Sprayer (I use a Misto)
• Side Note: you can make these any way you want (with anything you have), just make sure to call them Fancy when you serve them J

Directions:

1. Heat your Panini press (if you don’t have a Panini Press you can just use a cast iron pan or regular skillet
2. Cook the turkey bacon until done and crisp
3. Lay the bred out and put cheese on both sides of the bread
4. Place the turkey bacon on one piece and place the other piece on the other
5. Spray olive oil on one side and place olive oil side down on your pan or press, spray oil on the top side and press down
6. Cook aprox 3 to five minutes (or five minutes per side)
7. Cut and serve