Indulgent.

Comforting.

Soothing.

Satisfying.

Healthy.

Delicious.

Joyful.

These are just some of the words that describe all the feels of food. Wouldn’t you know… the same adjectives apply to love too! Yeah, the love stuff is still on the brain—we are the Kissing Cooks, after all—so, it’s pretty important (and totes obvs) for us to share that every kitchen encounter (whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, or dessert) derives from a place of love. That’s perhaps the most precious ingredient that makes the process and finale all the more valuable with loved ones.

After last week’s adventure in gluten free lasagna, Chris and I decided to kick off our romantic Valentine’s weekend with what’s definitely the ultimate winter go-to meal: soup. Even though the weather here on Long Island has been more like spring in February than actual winter in February, after a long week of work and life, some soup making was definitely in order. Not only did we simmer up a creamy chicken and vegetable soup, but we paired the creation with soup’s best partner in culinary crime: grilled cheese.

However, when I write “Chris and I” regarding the let’s-make-soup idea, I should clarify that it was my stubborn determination that decided the fate of his leftover rotisserie lunch chicken that was stowed away in my fridge for a few days. When I get an idea in my head, especially when it comes to food, I must see it through. The same applies for an outfit combination too, but that belongs in a totally different blog (like Style Darling Daily).

I previously bought a bag of carrots, which came in very useful for a variety of past dinners, including side salads that Chris and I shared prior to the birth of Kissing Cooks. I was beginning to suspect that the fresh carrots were approaching their expiration, so I knew they’d be essential, and we’d be oh-so responsible grocery shopping adults, for this particular dish. It was a most exciting prospect at effective decision making (for me at least).

When all of our delicious ingredients were finally on hand (and the “hello” and “I’m so happy to see you” kisses were emphatically exchanged), the cooking began. Chris and I referenced this recipe, reducing our serving size in half, although we also omitted peas (Chris doesn’t like them—sad face) and noodles since our dish was accompanied by grilled cheese (Did you know that angels sing every time a grilled cheese is made?). This included our favorite whole grain gluten free bread (Udi’s) with thin-sliced Swiss cheese (Sargento) and turkey bacon (Oscar Mayer). For the bolder grilled cheese lovers, it should be noted that my sandwich included a slice of tomato and a dash of oregano because that’s how grilled cheese consumption was taught to me when I was growing up (it must be a north shore thing). For the soup, we used the entire container of mirepoix (that’s a fancy way of referring to carrots, onions, and celery) with plenty more carrots since I had the aforementioned extras available. Chris handled shredding the chicken, separating every last flavorful strip of protein to our already simmering, aromatic mixture of low-sodium chicken broth (College Inn), vegetables, freshly minced garlic (I even watched a YouTube video on how to do this because it was my first time not using the jar stuff), gluten free flour (Pillsbury), 1% milk, unsalted butter, and spices.

The warm soupy goodness thickened beautifully, especially as we giggled between more kisses and gasped at the sight of the melting Swiss cheese (and blackened-ish bread—sorry honey, I had to be truthful). Making the soup alone was a pretty efficient task though, only using a few handy pots and pans—that is, until the grilled cheese part happened and the cleanup seemed almost never ending (to no one’s fault, really). I’m certainly not going to crank on about doing the dishes (because nobody likes a whiner—though everybody likes a wino—wink wink) when a delightfully nourishing meal was the cause. Oh hello there segue… I should add that no meal is complete without a companion beverage, and this night was made all the more decadent and tasty with a bottle of crisp, sweet Riesling (Relax), a brand name true to its end-of-the-night-yielding state of mind.

One of my favorite parts of the night (as usual), and most cooking nights with Chris, is the charmingly pleasant conversation that we shared, dually feeding our hearts and minds. We discussed our brunch and shopping plans for the next two days, as well as times to see Lion (so many tears and sniffles, but worth the mascara streams down my face) and reservations for our fancy post-Valentine’s Day dinner out (at Ragazzi in Lake Grove [an Italian kitchen and bar], where there’s an abundance of gluten free menu items served daily).

Following our washing-drying duet at the sink, we contained the two generous leftover servings of soup for further consumption later in the week and finished off the rest of the wine, all before cuddling up on the couch and calling it a night of soup success. We definitely learned a lot about the balancing act that is cooking, relishing in every moment of its gluten free ecstasy.

As for next time, we have big turkey burger plans that’ll certainly make the cut of posts on Kissing Cooks. Thank you so much for taking the time to support our latest installment.

As always… stay kissing and stay cooking.