I am a huge fan of sandwiches, among other things. Now there are many types of sandwiches, but that is for another time--today we are going to turn our attention towards a subset of the sandwich kingdom. In particular, I was thinking about the genus grilledcheeseius, a member of the phylum hotsandwichiata.

In my experience, I've found that the hot sandwich or grilled cheese experience is drastically enhanced with the presence of a creamy tomato soup. And once you've had this combination of hot sandwich and creamy soup, you'll crave its deliciousness. You know what they say: once you go soup and sandwich, you never go back.

So lamedust and I set out to make our own tomato soup. We looked at some base recipes, forgot them, and added in our own ingredients. The end result: a delicious dinner that satisfied our cravings perfectly.

Step 1: Gather Ingredients

Ingredients you'll need:

1 large can of diced or crushed tomatoes (approx 18 oz)
4 tbsp butter
1 bundle of fresh basil
3 cups of milk
1 cup of flour
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
Salt to taste

Optional: 1-2 teaspoons of tomato paste (see step 4)

A smattering of pots and pans
Items to stir and taste with (known as souptensils)
A heat source (a stove is preferable to, say, a Bunsen burner)

Optional but highly recommended: materials for a hot sandwich.

Step 2: Mush Like the Iditarod

First, if your tomatoes are diced or not cut at all, you need to make them smaller. Any and all smushing techniques are viable.

Step 3: Start Your Stovetops!

In a saucepan, melt the butter with a handful of pieces of basil. Add in the milk, the flour, and the sugar. Heat and mix these ingredients until the result has a homogeneous texture.

This mixture should be a bit thick, as it is the thick and creamy part of the soup.

Step 4: Tomatoes on the Run

Empty your mashed tomatoes into a deep pot. Begin to heat.

Add in the homogeneous other mixture and continue to heat.

Optional: We left ours like this, but for a slightly richer tomato flavor you can add a few spoonfuls of tomato paste.

Start stirring.

Step 5: Stir Like It's Nobody's Business

That's right, nobody's business. Keep stirring as your soup gets warm, then hot.

When the soup is almost ready to be tasted, add in another handful of fresh pieces of basil.

Step 6: Taste Test

Carefully take a little taste of the soup to make sure that it's as delicious as it should be. Be careful--it will be extremely hot!

I am not liable for burned tongues, mouths, or anywhere you spill.

Add salt to taste.

If the soup passes your personal Quality Control, move on to the next step. If it doesn't, refer to the Universal Troubleshooting Manual.

Step 7: Optional: Sandwich Accompaniment

Soup is a dish best served warm--and accompanied by a sandwich. A simple grilled cheese (butter bread, put cheese in between, toast/grill) or other options (such as this example here) will work very well.

You could also opt for a delicious panini or a grilled sandwich of your preferred variety.

In short, the choices are endless. Pick one or more!

Step 8: Serve and Impress

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with basil and serve. Lamedust and I enjoyed our soup and grilled cheese with a showing of Mafia!.

I am not liable for any compliments you may receive or give to yourself.