Critter Soup with Cookie Cutter Grilled Cheese

By Jeanne Gowen Dennis

Think of all the interesting animals God made! If your family has animal cookie cutters, you can make yourself a fun lunch or snack on a cool day. Even without cookie cutters, you can get some animal crackers or goldfish to add to your soup. While you’re cooking and eating, remember to  thank God for all the wonderful animals He created.

Before you begin, get your parents’ permission and ask for them to supervise or help you.

Ingredients for sandwich:

Bread slices
Slices of your favorite cheese, rice cheese, almond cheese, or cheese substitute
Butter
 or substitute
Optional: slices of tomato, onion

Ingredients for soup:

Canned soup, chicken broth, or homemade soup
Animal crackers or goldfish
Optional: chopped chives, scallions, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, parsley

Supplies:

Can opener
Pot
Soup ladle
Cookie cutters (optional)
Cutting board
Frying pan
Egg turner or spatula
Butter knife
Bowl
Plate
Napkins

Directions

Remember to wash your hands before preparing food.

Gather all your ingredients and place them on the counter. Get an adult to help you use the stove or oven and the can opener.

Directions for Critter Soup:

1. Open the can of soup or broth and pour it into the pot. Follow the directions on the can if it needs to have water added. You can also heat up homemade soup.
2. Heat the soup on low while you make your sandwich.
3. When your soup is warm and your sandwich is ready, have an adult help you ladle soup into a bowl.

Directions for Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. On a cutting board, use a cookie cutter to cut a shape from a slice of bread.
2. Then make another cutout just like the first from a second slice of bread.
3. Next make a cutout from your slice of cheese. If you want two slices of cheese in your sandwich, then cut out two cheese shapes.
4. Take one cutout slice of bread and lay it on a plate. Place your cheese cutouts on the bread. Be sure to match the shapes.
5. If you want to add tomato or onion slices, place them on top of the cheese.
6. Next place your other bread cutout on top of the sandwich. Match it to the bottom shape.
7. Melt a 1/2-inch slice of butter (or a substitute) in your frying pan.
8. Carefully place your sandwich over the melted butter and cook on low to medium heat.
   While the bottom of the sandwich is cooking, spread some butter (or substitute) gently on the top slice of bread.
9. When the bottom piece of bread gets crunchy, have a parent help you turn the sandwich over with an egg turner or spatula.
10. Cook the sandwich until the bread on the pan gets crunchy and the cheese gets soft or melts.
11. Have a parent help you remove the sandwich from the pan and place it on a plate.

Alternate methods for grilled cheese:

1. Cook the sandwich and then cut out shapes. This will be messy.
2. You can also try baking your sandwiches in the oven.

Put a bowl of animal crackers or goldfish on the table. When you sit down to eat your soup, place some animal critters in the soup and think of all the animals God made that know how to swim.

Thank God and Enjoy!

© Jeanne Gowen Dennis