Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese

This is the soup-and-sandwich pairing most people grew up on, just made properly from scratch — crushed tomatoes simmered down, blended smooth, and finished with a swirl of cream and fresh basil.

It's a straightforwardly vegetarian comfort meal, built for dipping rather than portion control, and the grilled cheese is really an extension of the soup rather than a side dish. Buttering the outside of the bread rather than the inside of the skillet is what gets you that deep golden crust once it hits the pan. Serve the soup hot with the sandwich cut into strips for dunking, the way it's supposed to be eaten.