Danielle sent me her Bacon and Cheese Log recipe. It’s an old family favorite.

According to Danielle, “This recipe dates back to 1973 in our family and came to us from our great friends and neighbors across the street from the house I grew up in. I can remember eating it as a very young child at my parent’s parties and now I make it at my own parties. It is such a classic, delicious crowd-pleaser!”

The topping can be made in advance and frozen or prepared immediately before heating.
Bacon and Cheese Log

1 pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 slices raw bacon, finely chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. mayonnaise
2 packages party rye bread

To Prepare in Advance:
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except bread).
2. Roll into log 1-1.5″ diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
3. Slice frozen log into thin slices and place on party rye bread.
4. Place rye bread on cookie sheet and broil for several minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.

To Use Immediately:
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except bread).
2. Spoon small amount of mixture onto bread.
3. Place rye bread on cookie sheet and broil for several minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Last winter, I fell in love with a tomato cheddar soup at Au Bon Pain. The soup was quite simple, but it was tasty. I figured that it would be easily enough to replicate, so I set out in search of a recipe. I ultimately settled on one from the website for Whole Foods Market, and altered it to fit my tastes. It’s worth noting that the tomato cheddar soup recipe currently displayed on their site is different than the one that I altered last winter.

Using some canned ingredients makes this a quick weeknight meal that can be easily made in 30 minutes or less. Since I dislike the texture of tomatoes, I often use a can of pureed tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes. The resulting soup has the same flavor, but a smoother consistency. The original recipe did not contain any seasoning other than salt and pepper, so I added a healthy amount of dried basil and oregano. The soup still tastes good without the spices, but it’s rather bland. In an effort to make this soup even healthier, I use reduced fat/reduced sodium chicken broth and reduced fat shredded cheddar.

The resulting tomato cheddar soup is thick and warm and flavorful – the perfect accompaniment to a slice of crusty bread. If you’re looking for comfort food, serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich!

Tomato Cheddar Soup

Yields 4 servings

olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced or pureed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup skim milk

1) Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2) Add tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, sugar, basil and oregano. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
3) Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese and milk.