My Children Made me This Way

I was cooking dinner last night thinking the entire time that the Monsters will probably turn up their collective noses at the the meal. A nice simple soup and a bit more complex grilled cheese sandwich. Something new and healthy as I am trying to change our eating habits a little, plus I just love cooking new things. So when S who doesn’t like anything not fast food, and the two littlest were on 3rd helpings of the soup and raving about the grilled cheese I was ecstatic and figured I needed to share these.

Mushroom and Leek Soup*

*this recipe is my own little variation on this one at Allrecipes .com

• 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup sliced leeks (about 1 leek, with the greens)
• 1tbsp minced garlic
  
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1 large container (48 oz) of Chicken broth
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1/2 cup uncooked pasta (I used thin egg noodles)

1. In a large pot (one big enough to make the soup in, yay one pot cooking) over medium high heat saute the mushrooms, leeks, and garlic in the butter or margarine and olive oil until tender. Add the sherry and continue to cook until you have reduced the liquid by about half.
2. Then add broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Boil gently for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

Total cook time is about 1 hour with prep.

Four Cheese Grilled Cheese

• enough bread for however many sandwiches you plan to make 
• one slice each per sandwich of the following cheeses: Colby-Jack, Baby Swiss, Provolone. (You can use what ever you like really, but these are what I had and know the Monsters will eat.)

Garlic Parm Butter

• 1 stick of butter (brought to room temperature)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp dried parsley (a bit less if fresh)
• 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

 This is very very easy, but the butter has to be at room temperature. (You can put it in the microwave for a few seconds, but don’t melt it) All you have to do is mix the ingredients together. This will make enough that I can keep whats left it in the fridge for rolls or to use as a base to make garlic bread.

Once that is made you just put the sandwiches together, one slice of each type of cheese between two slices of bread. Butter each side of the sandwich, and cook in a frying pan over medium heat until toasted nicely on both sides, and the cheese is melted. I usually start these up about when I add the pasta to the soup. It takes about, 20 minutes total.

 And there you have it.