Creamy Tomato Soup

I have a great respect for mothers….and some fathers….who prepare 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. I believe one of the reasons I love to cook is because I cook when I am the mood to, not when I have to.  We recently hosted guests for a 4 night, long weekend, and although I love their company, even I considered take out, something I’ve never done before.

I don’t have to bring restaurant prepared food home because my freezer is well packed with food I’ve made in advance to provide home cooked meals on demand.

  

I am one of those cooks who rarely follows a recipe.  With the exception of baking, I read cookbooks and watch the food network for inspiration.  The problem with that is inconsistency.  So when I get ready to post one of my recipes to the blog, I write down every time I add something to the pot and compile the exact recipe at the computer.  Today I’m making tomato soup.  This huge pot of soup will provide dinner for tonight, but most of it will end up in smaller containers in my freezer for future meals. If you are not interested in freezing leftovers, feel free to cut the recipe in half.

Ingredients

§     1 large onion, diced

§     4 tablespoons unsalted butter

§     4 tablespoons flour

§     3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

§     8 cups of broth, I use 2 (32 ounce) containers chicken or vegetable stock

§     4 28 ounce cans of tomatoes

§     4 tablespoons tomato paste

§     6 sprigs of fresh thyme

§     2 tablespoons sugar

§     1 cup of white wine

§     2 cups heavy cream

§     Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Soup Garnishes

§     Toasted garlic croutons

§     Fresh basil leaves chiffonade (To chiffonade basil leaves, stack the leaves, roll into a tight bundle and cut into thin slices.) 

§     Fresh thyme leaves

§     Spoonful of pesto and pine nuts

In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent.  Add the chopped garlic.  Stir in flour and cook, stirring for about 2 – 3 minutes to cook out the raw taste of the flour but not long enough to brown the flour. 

Pour in 4 cups of broth and whisk constantly until the soup begins to thicken. 

Add the remaining broth, cans of tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, sugar, salt and pepper. I always add a little sugar to foods containing a lot of tomatoes.  I find that it cuts the acidity and tastes better…not to mention it eliminates my need for antacids afterwards.

Tie the sprigs of thyme together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot.  Bring to boil, while stirring occasionally, and reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.  Remove and discard the thyme bundle.  Most of the thyme leaves should have fallen off the sprigs. 

If you have an emersion blender, my favorite kitchen appliance, puree until smooth. 

If you don’t have an emersion blender, cool the soup slightly and working in batches transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.  Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.

Whisk in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.  For a printer friendly copy of this recipe, go to Creamy Tomato Soup. Enjoy!

 

Freezing Tip:

Before freezing, make sure the soup is cool.  I have placed warm soup in the freezer only to find a mountain like hump in the center when it freezes.  I actually keep it in the refrigerator overnight before freezing.  Although that’s not required, I find that the soup freezes more evenly when it is not just cooled, but chilled.

I recommend using hard plastic or glass containers to freeze anything made with tomatoes as they do not discolor.  If you are freezing in a hard plastic container or glass jar, do not place the cover over the soup after filling. Place the uncovered container in the freezer.  As with anything, while the soup freezes, it will expand. If you cover the container, it may break. If you wait until after the soup has frozen and expanded to replace the cover, your container is safe in the freezer.  This process allows you to freeze the soup in attractive containers perfect for gifting.



White Chocolate Bark

If you are a Facebook friend of mine, you already know that we had a fire in our home last week. Gratefully, no one was hurt and nothing was lost….just a lot of smoke and soot damage.  For the past 10 days, there have been many people traipsing through our home, cleaning walls, ceilings, furniture, carpets and drapes.  They took all of our clothes to have them dry cleaned, along with every rug, pillow, bedspread and tablecloth we own.  With all of this going on, you can be sure that the furthest thing from my mind was cooking anything.  But I made a promise to post a recipe every 2 weeks, and I’m committed to keeping that promise.  So I inventoried my pantry at 10:00am and was nibbling on these delicious treats at 10:30am.  It doesn’t get easier than that.

Ingredients:

§     2 pounds white chocolate, finely chopped
§     1 cup almonds, slivered or sliced
§     1 cup dried cranberries
§     1/2 cup chopped pecans

Optional Toppings

§     Peppermint candy, finely chopped
§     Pretzels, roughly chopped
§     Mini M&M Candies
§     Walnuts
§     Raisins
§     Chocolate Chips

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the sides.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Once the nuts are cooled, chop coarsely.  I prefer to use slivered or sliced almonds because they are ready to use, but today I only had whole almonds in my pantry, so I cut each almond into thirds.  I chopped them by hand because I like to recognize the almond on the bark.  If I run then through the food processor, they become powdery.  Chop the white chocolate and place into a glass bowl.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring with a rubber spatula every 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.  Depending on how finely you chopped the chocolate, this process should take between 1 - 3 minutes total.  

Pour the chocolate onto the prepared sheet and spread to cover the entire surface and form an even layer.  Sprinkle the top evenly with the nuts and cranberries.

Gently press the toppings into the melted chocolate.  Set aside to cool.  When firm, cut or break into small pieces.

Serve at room temperature. White Chocolate Bank stores well at room temperature in an air tight container.  For a printer friendly copy of this recipe, go to White Chocolate Bark. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Corn Chili

For years I denied myself chili.  The reason is that the main spice ingredient in chili is cumin, a spice I’m not a fan of.  I love meat and I love beans so I felt deprived until one day I decided to create my own chili recipe where cumin was not the prominent flavor.  Yes, I know it wouldn’t…and shouldn’t….be called chili if it doesn’t have cumin, so I do include a little, but it’s definitely not the primary flavor. When I shared my unconventional chili with friends, I was thrilled to learn that others enjoyed it as much as I.  Actually, I wasn’t going to share my chili recipe because it continually changes depending on what I have on hand, but I've had four recent requests for the recipe so I guess this has become another of "My Most Requested Recipes." 

For this blog post I am documenting each and every time I add something to the pot so I will have an exact recipe, but feel free to alter the ingredients to accommodate your own taste.  I love beans, so I add a lot of them.  You can leave out 2 or 3 cans of beans.  I like my chili thick and hearty.  If you like a more soupy chili, add more broth or water.  You may want to add more heat, so add a tablespoon of Cayenne. 

I buy cans of beans when they are ‘buy one get one free’ at the market.  Today I happen to have Black Beans, Red Kidney Beans, Cannelloni Beans, Chili Beans, Northern Beans and Mixed Beans, so that’s what I’m including.  The types of beans I use changes, but I always include red kidney beans, black beans and yellow corn.  It just wouldn’t be my chili without them.  I typically add 1 large can of tomato sauce and 1 small can of tomato paste, but I don’t have tomato sauce in my pantry today so I’m adding a can of diced tomatoes which is not as rich as tomato sauce and 2 cans of tomato paste to make up for the richness.

Ingredients:
§     3 Tablespoons of oil, to coat the bottom of the pot
§     1 large onion, chopped
§     4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
§     3 lbs chopped beef
§     1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
§     2 Tablespoons chili powder
§     1 teaspoon cumin
§     1 teaspoon black pepper
§     2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
§     3 Tablespoons Ketchup
§     3 Tablespoons salt
§     3 Tablespoons brown sugar
§     1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
§     1 28oz can stewed tomatoes
§     1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
§     2 6oz cans tomato paste
§     1 16oz can beef stock
§     1 16oz can Black Beans
§     1 16oz can Red Kidney Beans
§     1 16oz can Chili Beans
§     1 16oz can Cannelloni Beans
§     1 16oz can Great Northern Beans
§     1 16oz can Mixed Beans
§     1 15.25oz can Yellow Corn
§     Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large, heavy pot.  Heat oil over medium-high heat and add onions and garlic.  Sauté for about 6 – 8 minutes or until the onions are translucent. 

Add ground beef and cook until brown, breaking up the meat as it cooks.  Add the next 9 ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. 

Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and beef stock.  Drain and rinse the beans and corn and add to the Chili. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.  If the mixture looks dry, add water or additional beef stock.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  This dish can be made ahead and will probably taste better the next day. 

Although a bowl of this chili with a few corn chips for crunch is enough to satisfy any taste, below are additional serving suggestions:

§     Serve over rice
§     Top with cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped green onion
§     Serve over pasta

Chili freezes very well.  I always make a huge pot and freeze it in 'dinner for two' portions.  My secret for freezing anything that has liquid is to place the container in the freezer and freeze the contents before replacing the lid.  This gives the food room to expand without cracking my container.  After the food is frozen and has expanded, I replace the cover.  Using this method, I am able to freeze foods that I have made as edible gifts in pretty jars. 

For a printer friendly copy of this recipe, go to Black Bean and Corn Chili. Enjoy!

Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Crackers

Until now, each recipe I've posted to this blog was taken directly from the cookbook I've been writing for over 10 years. I wrote, tested and perfected each recipe, even those I inherited from my mother.  This recipe, however, was given to me by my friend, Loy, only last year.  When I started this blog, I promised to post "My Most Requested Recipes," so I would be remiss not to post this recipe for Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Crackers which is requested almost as much as my Candy Bacon.

I did try to perfect the recipe by changing some of the ingredients.  I tried raisins and walnuts with success but always returned to the original.  With the exception of changing a few measurements, this is the recipe given to me by Loy.

I serve these delicious crackers in so many ways.  When I prepare a cheese platter for a cocktail party, I always include a heaping pile on the platter.  A few crackers alongside a salad serve as a substitute for croutons.  These jeweled discs compliment any soup, but I especially like them with cream soups, tomato soup and my recently posted blog, pumpkin soup.  In the 'ber' months, (months ending in 'ber') I keep a cookie jar filled with these bejeweled crackers on the kitchen counter to provide an afternoon snack. 

For such a simple snack, they appeal to all of my senses.  The extra sharp Cheddar cheese provides the delicious taste.  The slight hint of heat from the cayenne lingers for several moments after you swallow the cracker.  The pecans offer a nutty crunch while the cranberries, which look like jewels, are sweet and chewy.

Ingredients:

§     1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
§     1 1/2 cups chopped sweetened dried cranberries
§     2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
§     1 1/2 teaspoon salt
§     1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
§     4 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
§     4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Toast pecans on a dry frying pan or single layer in a shallow pan in the oven until fragrant.  Be careful not to burn the pecans as they will become bitter.  Set aside until completely cooled.  Soak the cranberries in boiling water for about 15 minutes.  Drain, pat dry and cooI before adding them to the mixture.

In a bowl, beat softened butter, salt and cayenne pepper.  Add cheese and blend until creamy.  Gradually add flour mixing just until combined.

Stir in cranberries and pecans.  Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece to form a log approximately 2” in diameter.  Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill overnight. 

To bake the cheese crackers, preheat oven to 350°.

Remove the cheese logs from the refrigerator and cut into 1/4” discs.  Place the discs onto a baking pan lined with a Silpat or parchment paper. Bake 13 – 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire rack.  Stored in an airtight container, these cheese wafers last for months.

For a printer friendly copy of this recipe, go to Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Crackers. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup

Before moving to Nashville, I lived in Los Angeles for 9 years where the temperature rarely got below 70 or above 90 degrees.  There were no turning leaves nor brisk morning air.  The only way I knew it was fall was with the arrival of the first ‘ber’ month, (month ending in ‘ber').  September announced the beginning of the new season and gave me permission to prepare pumpkin, both sweet and savory. 

I must admit, to guarantee consistency I always use canned pumpkin, so I eat this savory soup all year long, but my friends seem to ask for it as soon as September, the first 'ber' month, arrives. 

Ingredients:

§     4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
§     1 cup onion, finely chopped
§     2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
§     1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
§     2 quarts chicken broth
§     1 cup orzo
§     3 cups half and half or whole milk
§     2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
§     2 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin
§     Fresh thyme (optional)
§     Salt and freshly ground pepper

In large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in chopped garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.  Add broth and bring to boil.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir in orzo.  Reduce heat and simmer covered, about 15 minutes or until orzo is tender. 

 

In a small bowl, combine half and half (or whole milk) and flour and mix well.  Add to simmering soup.  Cook while stirring until slightly thickened and bubbly.  Stir in pumpkin.  Heat thoroughly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, sprinkle each serving with fresh thyme.

This soup takes less than 30 minutes to make and freezes well.  Eat it before your meal or as an accompaniment to a sandwich or salad.  For a printer friendly copy of this recipe, go to Pumpkin Soup. Enjoy!