It can get mighty chilly in Edmonton in the winter months and that has me wanting soup. Since National Homemade Soup Day just happens to be February 4, I thought for my February Disney inspired treat I would make up a pot inspired by one of the delicious meals I had while in Disneyland Park: the Jolly Holiday Combo. This meal of tomato basil soup and a grilled cheese sandwich is served at the Holly Jolly Bakery and is a nice change from the hot dogs, pizza, French fries and other sugar laden goodies we ate way too much of throughout the park. It might not fit most the standard definition of a “treat”, but it is a definite step up from the can of tomato soup I usually heat up on the stove.
This item was not on my Disneyland dining bucket list and I am not sure it is something I would have ordinarily chosen. We had no set dining plans on that day and dinner ended up being pushed off for other far more exciting things like flying elephant rides and meeting princesses. We needed somewhere to stop and eat quickly along the way back to the other side of the park and The Jolly Holiday on Main Street just happened to fit the bill. It was still rather warm in the evening and it wouldn’t have even crossed my mind to order a bowl of soup, but when we stepped inside and I saw the soup and sandwich combo on the menu board I knew I had to try it. I recalled reading good reviews of the combo on The Disney Food Blog and was not disappointed. It is thick, rich and satisfying, and I love the touch of basil flavor.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 TBSP Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 can Crushed Tomatoes (28 oz), undrained
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes (28 oz), undrained
- 1 carton chicken or vegetable stock (900 ml)
- 1 TBSP Sugar
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 10-15 Leaves fresh Basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup Half and Half
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
DIRECTIONS
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium and lightly sauté garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken stock and sugar. Stir to combine. Add salt and Pepper to taste.
- Bring mixture to a medium boil, then reduce heat slightly and continued to simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the half and half, fresh basil, sun dried tomatoes and half a brick of cream cheese that has been chopped into small cubes. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until the cream cheese is melted and combined.
- Serve immediately. Extra soup can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For the grilled cheese, I tried to keep things authentic to that served at Holly Jolly and got a loaf of bright white bread. We typically buy whole wheat so this was a bit of a treat lightly toasted with slices of melted cheddar cheese. And, to make it more Disney-fied, I cut them out with my Mickey head cookie cutter – everything always tastes better when it is Mickey shaped!
I am not sure how close this comes to the actual Disney recipe, but it is rich in tomato and basil flavors and definitely helped stir up those happy feelings of dining on the patio of the Holly Jolly Bakery, watching the evening parade pass by.
ENJOY!
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