Making Lunch with Hannah: Homemade Grilled Cheese & Squash Soup with Baked Fish, Plus Henry’s Rhubarb Spoon Cake ✨
There are few things more comforting than a homemade lunch shared with friends or family, especially when it’s a meal that brings together heartwarming flavors and a sense of nostalgia. Recently, I had the pleasure of joining my good friend Hannah for a cozy lunch in her kitchen, where we prepared a simple yet delicious spread that was packed with autumnal goodness: homemade grilled cheese sandwiches, a velvety squash soup, and baked fish. To top it all off, Henry—our talented friend—surprised us with a dreamy rhubarb spoon cake from The Lost Kitchen cookbook. It was a meal to remember, and a perfect way to celebrate the season’s bounty.
Homemade Grilled Cheese & Squash Soup: The Ultimate Comfort Combo
We started the day with one of the most classic comfort foods: grilled cheese sandwiches. But of course, when you’re cooking with Hannah, even the simplest dishes become a little bit elevated. We used a combination of sharp cheddar and gruyère cheese, which melted into a perfectly gooey, flavorful filling. The bread was lightly buttered and toasted until golden brown, and the cheeses oozed out with each bite.
But no grilled cheese sandwich would be complete without a perfect soup to dunk it into. Enter the squash soup. With autumn in full swing, this was the time to celebrate the abundance of winter squash—Hannah had picked up a beautiful butternut squash from the local market, its deep orange color promising a rich, creamy soup. The squash was roasted until tender and caramelized, then blended with sautéed onions, garlic, and a touch of ginger for warmth. We added vegetable broth and a dash of cream to create a smooth, velvety texture that balanced the sweetness of the squash with the subtle spice of ginger. The soup was the ideal companion for our cheesy sandwiches, providing a lovely contrast of flavors and temperatures.
The combination of the crispy, buttery grilled cheese with the silky, slightly sweet squash soup was nothing short of perfect. Each bite was comforting, filling, and utterly satisfying—a meal that felt like a warm hug on a chilly afternoon.
Baked Fish: A Light and Savory Addition
Though the grilled cheese and squash soup were hearty enough on their own, we decided to add a light, savory protein to balance the meal. Hannah had prepared a simple but flavorful baked fish. She chose white fish fillets—light, flaky, and fresh—seasoned with lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs like parsley and thyme. The fish was baked in the oven until tender, its flesh easily flaking apart with a fork. A drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice added just the right amount of richness and freshness, making the dish the perfect addition to our cozy lunch.
The baked fish added a touch of lightness to the meal, offering a contrast to the richness of the grilled cheese and squash soup. The flavors were delicate yet flavorful, with the herbs and citrus lifting the dish without overpowering it. It was a reminder of how simple ingredients, when treated with care, can create something truly special.
Henry’s Rhubarb Spoon Cake: A Dreamy Finale ✨
As we finished up our meal, Henry surprised us with dessert—a rhubarb spoon cake from The Lost Kitchen, the celebrated cookbook by Erin French. Henry had been experimenting with some of the recipes from the book, and this cake, in particular, was a labor of love. The rhubarb, which had been sourced from a local farm, was tart and fresh, perfectly complementing the rich, buttery cake batter. The spoon cake is a beloved dessert in the Lost Kitchen tradition, known for its comforting texture and subtly sweet flavor.
The cake had a golden-brown crust and a slightly custard-like interior, the rhubarb providing just the right amount of tang. When we spooned it onto our plates, the cake was soft and tender, with pockets of rhubarb throughout that burst with flavor. It was decadent but not too heavy, a perfect way to end our meal. The subtle sweetness of the cake paired beautifully with a cup of hot tea, making the whole lunch feel like a leisurely afternoon with friends.
The Lost Kitchen Cookbook: A Culinary Journey
For those unfamiliar, The Lost Kitchen cookbook is a treasure trove of seasonal, rustic recipes inspired by Erin French’s Maine-based restaurant. Each dish in the book tells a story of connection to the land, the seasons, and the simple pleasures of good food shared with loved ones. Henry’s rhubarb spoon cake was a testament to the spirit of the book—comforting, seasonal, and full of heart. The fact that he chose to make this dessert for our lunch made it all the more special. It reminded us that food is not just about nourishment, but about the memories and moments we create around the table.
A Meal to Remember
Spending the afternoon cooking and enjoying this meal with Hannah and Henry was a reminder of how good food can bring people together. The grilled cheese sandwiches with squash soup, baked fish, and rhubarb spoon cake were a perfect reflection of the season—simple, comforting, and full of flavor. It was a meal that felt both timeless and personal, and it highlighted the beauty of cooking from the heart. As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, there’s something undeniably comforting about gathering in the kitchen to prepare a meal from scratch, and this lunch was the perfect example of how the simplest ingredients can create something truly magical. ✨