Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons [Valentine's Day 2014]

Come back every day this week for a different recipe or idea to help you celebrate Valentine's Day. Today's recipe is also perfect for meatless Mondays.

As a kid, valentine's day was not just celebrated between my parents, my mom always made it a point to make it fun and sweet for me too. For years, I would anticipate coming home from school to a little red tin filled with foil-wrapped chocolate hearts from See's. In the years since I've left college and have been in the working world, on the 14th day of February, a little bouquet of flowers has always been delivered to my office. As a mom myself now, I want to follow in my own mother's footstep in creating special little traditions that will be our own.
Emma is really too young for candy so I took this tomato soup, made a few modifications and voila! Creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese heart-shaped croutons, a warm and belly-filling way to show the littles in your life that you're an awesome cook you love them.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups rough chopped onion (1 large onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4  cups chicken stock
1 (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
Large pinch of saffron threads
kosher salt
ground pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1/4 cup heavy cream


For croutons
4 thick slices bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
2 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese


Directions

In a large pot or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions until translucent and they start to brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, (you can also do this in a traditional blender by carefully pureeing the soup in batches). Bring to a boil and then cover and turn down the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a small saucepan with water, bring to a boil add 1 teaspoon salt and orzo.  Cook orzo for 7 minutes and drain. Add orzo and cream, cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste soup for seasoning, plate and serve with one or more heart croutons.

For Croutons
Heat a grill pan (or panini press). In a small bowl, mix the Gruyere and cheddar cheeses together. Place the slices of bread on a cutting board, brush once side of each slice with melted butter. Flip buttered side down (this side will be on the outside of the grilled cheese). Top two of the slices with cheese. Top bread with other two slices, making sure that the buttered sides are up. Grill the sandwiches for about 3 minutes on each side. I use this grill pan, and lay a heavy skillet on top, but this panini grill and press would be awesome. Transfer grilled cheese to a cutting board, let them rest for about 1 minute. Take a smallish heart shaped cookie cutter, and cut out hearts from sandwiches.

Photo by me