Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

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 Hi, Everybody! I don't know about you, but this cold, windy weather makes me crave warm, satisfying soups almost every day! In fact, the other day I had some soup for lunch, and then made a whole new pot of soup for dinner! Besides it being cold, I haven't been feeling too well, and eating a steaming hot bowl of soup always feels like an extra dose of medicine! If you are looking for a quick and comforting weeknight meal to cook for your friends or family, this Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons is just perfect! It takes less than an hour to make, and it's my absolute favorite tomato soup recipe (the Barefoot Contessa never disappoints!) It's wonderfully creamy and rich (there may be some heavy cream involved...) and the grilled cheese croutons are just the perfect topping for a bowl of this soup!

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP WITH GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS(Recipe adapted from The Barefoot Contessa)*Serves 4 - 6*
YOU WILL NEED:2 medium sized onions, diced3 tbs olive oil4 cups chicken stock28oz can crushed tomatoes (like San Marzano)Pinch of saffron (this adds wonderful flavor!)1/2 cup heavy cream1 tbs kosher salt1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. In your soup pot, saute your diced onions in the olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent. Once they are soft, add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and saffron. Turn the heat up and bring the soup up to a boil, then turn the heat down and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. Next, stir in the heavy cream, and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your grilled cheese croutons by making a regular grilled cheese sandwich, then letting it rest for up to 5 minutes (this is important otherwise the cheese will melt right out... trust me!) and then cutting it into bite sized pieces. 
3. Once your soup is done, let it cool a little bit, and once it's cool enough to pour it into your blender, pour it in in portions, and puree it (you want it creamy but still slightly chunky). Serve the soup warm in bowls, topped with the grilled cheese croutons!


Happy Cooking, Everyone!I will be linking to:Makin' You Crave Mondays, Skip to My Lou, Savvy Southern Style, The Shabby Nest and Adorned from Above.