Monthly Archives: July 2015

Cooking, Main courses

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Velveeta cheese on bread
Velveeta cheese on bread

Gather the following ingredients:

Condensed tomato soup

Bread
Butter
Velveeta Cheese

Large pan
Medium pot

Cook the condensed tomato soup in the medium sized pot on low – one can soup to one can of water
– I heard a rumor milk was an option over water, but not for me

 

Butter the bread on the outside of the sandwich
– soften the butter in the microwave if needed, set it out if you can and wait for it to soften, or use a französische Butterdose – a French better dish or crock (if you do not own one get one they are great).

With the buttered sides together place two slices of Velveeta cheese on the bread.

Turn the heat on low and use the large pan. Place the sandwiches into the pan with the butter side down. Heat the bottom until it is golden brown.

Flip the sandwich. Brown the second side.
– usually the cheese will give just at the moment it is ready, but sometimes the bread burns first.

Grilled cheese sandwiches, ready for soup
Grilled cheese sandwiches, ready for soup

Serve with the tomato soup. Dip the sandwich in the soup and enjoy.

Wine

Acrobat

Acrobat

Acrobat Pinot Noir 2012
Acrobat Pinot Noir 2012

This 2012 Pinot Noir at $11.99 is not very good.

2/5 on the Linda Scale.

The following notes are short and tend to be quickly taken after a quick sampling in the evening.

Acrobat has a slight bite to it.  Slight headache the next day.  Taste is not worth the headache.

I would not serve this at dinner.

Appetizers, Cooking

Little Smokeys

Little Smokeys in Crock Pot – Takes a few hours, but it isn’t difficult to make.

Gather the following ingredients:

Little Smokey – 2 packets
BBQ sauce

Crescent rolls

Little Smokeys, BBQ, and crescent rolls
Little Smokeys, BBQ, and crescent rolls

Open both packages of Little Smokeys. Place into Crock Pot.

Cover with BBQ sauce.

Cook on low for 2 hours.

Little Smokeys crockpot 5

Start the oven for the crescent rolls about 20 minutes before the wieners are done.

Eat Little Smokeys and soak up the BBQ sauce with the crescent rolls.

I also like to make macaroni, cheese, and corn casserole with this dish.

Wine

Cloud Break

Cloud Break

Cloud Break Pinot Noir
Cloud Break Pinot Noir

This 2013 Pinot Noir at $6.99 isn’t very good California wine.

2/5 on the Linda Scale.

Cloud Break is too dry.  I can only one glass of this wine at a sitting.  It isn’t very drinkable.

I would not serve this wine to dinner guests.

Cooking, Soups

Ham and Potato Soup

There are few soups that I love as much as ham and potato soup. It is a great alternative to ham and bean soup for that leftover holiday ham.

Gather the following ingredients:

8 oz. ham
2 1/2 lbs. potatoes
2 cans chicken broth
1 tbls. Dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups milk
1 can cream of celery

1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt

Dutch oven or the biggest pot you can find

Cut the ham into cubes. Dice the potatoes. Add ham, potatoes, Dijon mustard, and chicken broth to the Dutch oven. Boil until the potatoes until they are tender, about 30 minutes once it starts to boil.

Ham and potatoes about to be cooked
Ham and potatoes about to be cooked

Combine the milk and cream of celery, stir into the pan.

Season with garlic powder and salt. Heat the soup through – do not boil.

Wine

Forever Vineyards

Forever Pinot Noir
Forever Pinot Noir

Forever Vineyards

This 2012 Pinot Noir at $10.99 is an ok wine.

3/5 on the Linda Scale.

The following notes are short and tend to be quickly taken after a quick sampling in the evening.

Forever Vineyards smells good.  It has a tiny bite to it and is a bit dry.

I might serve this at dinner, but probably would try to find something better.