Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the Roma tomatoes in half length wise.  Place on a foil lined baking sheet skin side down.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, raise oven temp to 425.  Remove tomatoes from sheet, and place on a plate, cover and set aside.
2. Arrange bacon slices on the same sheet and put in hot oven. Rotate pan every six minutes until desired crispiness (I did about 18 minutes).  Remove from oven and carefully move slices to a paper towel lined plate.  Cover and set aside.
3. Heat a large pot on med/high heat. When it’s hot, pour enough oil to cover the bottom and add the butter. When the butter is melted add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and a big pinch of salt. Sweat them down and when they’re softened, add the strained tomatoes and the vegetable broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Using an immersion blender, blend until it’s as smooth as you’d like.  I like some chunks of vegetables.
4. Now you have a choice, chop the roasted tomatoes with a knife and add to the soup, or add them whole and use your immersion blender again. Turn the soup to low and make your grilled cheese Sammiches.
5. Heat a non stick pan to medium, put a light coat of mayo on a piece of bread and place in the pan, mayo side down, put a little bit of cheese, a slice of bacon halved and then a little bit of cheese on top of that.  Lightly coat another piece of bread with mayo and place on top of sandwich mayo side up. Carefully slide a rubber spatula underneath and flip.  Cook till the other side is browned and the cheese is melted.
6. Remove from heat, slice in half and place on plate with a bowl of soup in between the halves.  Take a little bit more bacon, chop with a knife and use it to garnish the soup.