Hearty Vegetable Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich Croutons

Fall has arrived in New England, and one of the signs of fall is comfort food.  It was a Sunday afternoon, the wind was blowing and there was a chill in the air.  I was in the mood for soup.  I whipped up this Hearty Vegetable Soup based on ingredients I had in the pantry and freezer - no need for a trip to the grocery store.  The soup was delicious on it's own, but I was craving something decadent to go with it and decided on a grilled cheese sandwich.  To take it to the next level, I made the sandwich into croutons to top the soup and a new favorite was born! The croutons soak up the broth from the soup and provide the decadent bite of gooey cheese nestled between two crispy pieces of bread.  It's a winner!  Here's the recipe for the soup:

2 TBS EVOO
2 TBS butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 16 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, green beans, lima beans)
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 26 oz box of crushed tomatoes
1.5 tsp Italian Herb mix
4 or more cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Parmesan cheese rinds (optional)

In a Dutch oven or other large pot, add EVOO and butter over medium heat.  When butter has melted add chopped onion; saute until softened 3-4 minutes.  Add chopped celery, saute until softened about 5 minutes.  Add frozen vegetables, black beans, kidney beans and crushed tomatoes.  Combine vegetable and bean mixture.  Add Italian herbs to mixture.  Add 4 cups broth, more if thinner consistency is desired. Add Parmesan cheese rinds if using.  Heat mixture until almost boiling, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer soup for about 30 minutes for flavors to combine.

Make your favorite grilled cheese sandwich using any type of bread and cheese you like.  I made this with white whole wheat bread and Monterrey jack cheese.  Once toasted on both sides and cheese melts, remove from pan and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Trim crusts off sandwich then cut sandwich into bite sized pieces for the croutons.

Ladle soup into serving bowls and then top soup with grilled cheese sandwich croutons.

Enjoy!