Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Pour olive oil into a 4-quart saucepan to cover the bottom and heat over medium- high heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Add onions and cook, stirring once or twice, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and cook for 2 more minutes, making sure the onions don't burn. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juices and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, untile flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.

Puree tomato soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour tomato soup back into the sauce pan. Slowly pour in cream and stir to blend. Keep soup warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, for grilled cheese croutons spread 1 1/2 teaspoons
butter on each of the 8 slices of bread. Place about 1 tablespoon cheese per slice into a non-stick skillet. Place bread, butter side down onto the cheese. Top bread with another 1 tablespoon cheese.

Allow cheese to melt. Place slice of bread on top of the melted cheese, buttered side faced up. Add 1 tablespoon cheese to the buttered side. Turn the sandwich over to let the cheese on the outside melt and lightly brown. Once cheese is browned, remove sandwiches and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with basil and grilled cheese croutons. Enjoy!

Cook's Note:

If you don't have an immersion blender, fill blender halfway with tomato soup. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour back into a pot. Repeat with remaining tomato soup.