What memories come up when you think of a grilled cheese sandwich?
For me, I think of a time when I was pregnant with Pinky and my cousin, who my kiddos now call Auntie Babe came over to hang with me at my parents house and we just made this yummy comfort foot with 3 simple ingredients. I’d even go as far as calling these ingredients household staples. Almost everyone will have these ingredients in their home.
Since it’s been a little chilly here in San Diego, I thought it would be perfect to make grilled cheese for the family, stay in and watch some movies.
I have a pretty fancy pallet when it comes to food so even though it only takes a few simple ingredients to make this classic dish, I thought I’d step it up a notch, at least for my taste!
The best part is, it doesn’t cost much more to make it semi-gourmet!
Do you want to know how I make it? Let’s go.
First, I get my ingredients at one of my favorite local grocery stores, Trader Joe’s. I love TJ’s for so many reasons. I can totally write another post about this, and I will, but 3 of the main reasons I love TJ’s are 1) You can try before you by, 2) They have a large variety of healthy food options, and 3) They offer great food at affordable prices.
Okay, back to the ingredients.
Sourdough Grilled Cheese + Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Sourdough bread
Sharp Cheddar Cheers
Butter
Real Parmesan Cheese
Trader Joe’s Creamy Tomato Soup in a box!
Instructions
Place a slice and an half of sharp cheddar cheese on one slice of sourdough bread. Put another bread on top, then spread a generous amount of butter on the top. 
Heat your nonstick pan to medium heat and place sandwich buttered side down. Let it sizzle.
At the same time, butter the other side of the sandwich. Flip when the the cheese begins to melt or the bread is toasty. About 2-3 minutes.
My secret, is adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to the the of the bread that was just cooking so it melts and adds a more flavor. If you turn it over again, you might get lucky and get a nice salty, cheesy crust.
Creamy Tomato Soup
I love the Cream Tomato Soup in a box from TJ’s because all you have to do is dump it into a pot and simmer.
I add a pinch of sea salt and a handful of Parmesan cheese too. I love finding surprises of cheesy clumps while I’m eating my soup or dipping my sandwich.
Serve
My family loves digging in. I pile the sandwiches on a real plate for presentation, then they grab their paper plates and mugs and start to throw down.
Family Favorite
This dish has easily become a family favorite, especially since we’ve been experiencing some cold San Diego winters 😉
I love how the grilled cheese compliments the tomato soup. Sourdough is my bread of choice because of its flavor and consistency. It’s strong enough to hold the cheese, the butter and the grilling. Even though it can be thick, it makes up for it in taste.
I recently found these Olive Oil Chips at TJ’s that taste great with the dish too. Let me know what you think.
So, how do you like your grilled cheese sandwiches made and served? What do you eat it with? What does this classic comfort food remind you of? Please share your thoughts and memories in the comments below.