Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Rustic Tomato Basil Soup

For the rustic tomato basil soup:
In a large pot on medium-low heat, heat the oil and butter. Once it melts, add the onion and sauté for about 15 minutes (make sure to stir it to keep it from burning) or until perfectly caramelized. Add garlic and sauté for another minute or two.

Add the tomato paste and sauté together for another minute. Mix in chicken broth/stock, salt and pepper. If you like a little more heat like I do, go ahead and add the cayenne too. It won’t make it too spicy, but it will definitely give it a little kick.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, put the lid on the pot to bring to a gentle boil. After the soup has reached a gentle boil, turn to low heat. At this point, go ahead and make the grilled cheese sandwiches because the soup is almost done. A couple minutes before serving the dish, stir the basil and cream into the soup.

For the grilled cheese sandwiches:
Place a griddle/non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Generously butter one side of each of the sourdough bread slices.

Once the griddle/pan is hot, place half of the bread slices in, butter side down. Add a hefty handful of cheeses to each piece of bread and top each with another slice of bread (butter side up). After 2 minutes, or when the bottom slice crisps and turns golden-brown, gently flip the sandwich to brown the opposite side for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, slice and serve with a bowl of tomato basil soup. Enjoy!