If you were raised in the South and are of a certain age, you may remember the days of school lunch rolls made with all-white flour that stood at least four inches tall. I have not had such fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth rolls before or since.

And you may recall grilled cheese sandwiches made with white bread, copious butter and some sort of orange cheese that was delicious and not, evidently, available in stores. My classmates and I used to call it “government cheese.”

I know it’s important for kids to eat whole grains and healthy foods, and I applaud the effort to improve the nutritional standards of school lunches.

But I think an exception should have been made for those rolls and those sandwiches. The cooks worked their tails off in that kitchen, and they should still be allowed to show off every once in a while.

Most of my classmates considered chicken nugget day the best lunch in our cafeteria. It included the trifecta: chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and one of those amazing rolls. I’m sure there was a green bean or a canned peach somewhere in there too, but never mind about those. Those were just there to keep the feds happy.

For my money, though, the best lunch was beef vegetable soup and grilled cheese. Y’all, I’ve been chasing the comfort of that cold-weather meal ever since.

And I think I’ve just about found it.

First, let’s talk about the grilled cheese. You’ll need some high-quality white bread. (Look, I said what I said.)

You’ll also need soft butter. I keep mine on the counter. As it turns out, it takes butter quite a while to go bad at room temperature – much longer than a stick lasts in my home.

And then there’s the cheese. The cheese is key. If you have access to government cheese – if government cheese is not just an invention of the class of 1997 – then by all means, use that.

But I recently discovered that Kraft makes singles they call Deli Deluxe American. Is it the same cheese the cafeteria used all those years ago? I don’t know, but it’s by far the best drop-in replacement I’ve found.

That does it for your grilled cheese. The main course requires a little more work, but it makes an enormous pot of soup that freezes beautifully.

Translation: You can make a pot of this soup tonight and freeze enough to have the cafeteria meal of your dreams on a moment’s notice for the next several weeks. Nice.

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

(Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 lb. ground beef (optional; substitute ground turkey for substantial savings)
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 cups beef broth (or water with bouillon)
32 oz. crushed tomatoes or 1 (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes plus 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1 (12-oz.) bag frozen corn
2 (12-oz.) bags frozen peas and carrots

Directions:
■ Set a large stockpot over medium heat. Add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, until it begins to soften. Add garlic, potato and ground beef. Stir and cook until the beef is fully browned. Drain off most of the rendered fat, leaving about a tablespoon.
■ Add oregano, salt, pepper and thyme, and cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Add beef broth, tomatoes and frozen vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook until the soup is heated through and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
■ Serve with a grilled cheese made with white bread, butter and Deli Deluxe American cheese – if you know what’s good for you.

Amelia Plair is a mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].

Amelia Plair is a Starkville resident who writes occasional food columns.

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