Not your typical croutons

There are a lot of great combo's out there in regard to food.

Let's name a few:

peanut butter and chocolate

fries and burgers

cookies and milk

pasta and garlic bread

tomato soup and grilled cheese

Oh sure, there are plenty more but it's the last one I'd like to write about today.

I'm sure this won't come as a surprise to my parents to learn that I didn't like tomato soup until probably late elementary school age. And that was most likely because I had it with grilled cheese. I remember, after that, having it with kids I babysat for and they were insistent that I use milk when I made the well-known canned version. From there, tomato soup has always been in my cupboard.

As I've become more and more of a cook, I've found several from-scratch tomato soup recipes and one in particular that I have added to my regular rotation of dinners.

Grilled cheese has typically been a part of the dinner. Again, what else could possibly make tomato soup better?

There is one thing, but it's not really anything different, but it changes everything.

I was reading a magazine last year that suggested tomato soup and, wait for it…

Grilled cheese croutons!

I like adding croutons to my soups and tomato soup was no exception even when I'd have a grilled cheese with it.

But making the grilled cheese sandwich into croutons, even I was skeptical at first.

If you like dipping your grilled cheese sandwich into your bowl of soup, these croutons take it over the top. Let me assure you that it is amazing. It will change your tomato soup experience. The bread soaks up the tomato soup, but it stays crispy because it's been grilled. Delicious!

I recommend using a gouda, American, or even a Monterey Jack cheese (or a combo is also yummy). It's as simple as making a grilled cheese sandwich like normal. Then, after letting it rest so the cheese doesn't make a mess, cut the sandwich into pieces. I found that using regular sliced bread, cutting it into sixteen pieces (in half, in half again, then turn and repeat) makes the pieces just the right size.

You can make the grilled cheese croutons ahead of time and then pop them into a toaster oven to reheat it, or you can top your soup with them immediately.

I hope that next time you make some tomato soup, whether it's from a can or not, that you'll try grilled cheese croutons. It's good for your soul. Or at least your soup.