Tomato Soup

Whenever we had tomato soup growing up, it did not come out of a can but a mason jar. At the end of summer, right when the garden started producing the most tomatoes, Grandma would start canning tomato soup. Instead of taking a whole day to can everything she could, Grandma would do one batch at a time- which was only a few jars a day. By the time the first frost came around, Grandma's basement pantry would be full of pint sized jars filled with deliciously smooth real soup, layered with flavor. There is still nothing like it. I no longer live right next to my Grandparents. I occasionally crave her homemade soup so badly that I almost jump in the car and drive the 6 hours immediately. And no matter what, I refuse to eat tomato soup from a can.

So I decided to come up with a remedy for my tomato soup cravings- my own homemade tomato soup. In my mind, I called it "semi homemade" because even though it is not directly from a can, several of the ingredient are, which makes it simple, but it's still not Grandma's. I was very happy with how this soup turned out. It is simple to make, and really has a lot of flavor. I used an immersion blender to make the soup smooth, but if you don't have one, you can use a food processor or leave tomato chunks. In that case, you might want to use diced tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes. Grandpa always added a little Tabasco sauce to his soup, and the red pepper flakes added a nice subtle spiciness to the soup, which you can certainly leave out if you like. And of course, nothing complements tomato soup like grilled cheese sandwiches!

Tomato Soup
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake (optional)
salt and black ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup cream or half and half

While heating a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter and the oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion and the garlic to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are beginning to soften.

Add the tomato paste, the stewed tomatoes, and the chicken broth. Stir the ingredients together and add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes so that all of the ingredients have a chance to blend together.

After the soup has cooked, use an immersion blender or a food processor to puree the soup and make it smooth. Reheat the soup on medium low. Add the 1 tbsp butter and the cream. When the soup is heated through, serve garnished with shredded cheese or basil.

Fettuccine with Ham and Cream

I love it when I find a new recipe, then discover that I already have all the ingredients I need right in my kitchen! Most of the time, I plan meals around the things that I picked up on my previous outing to the grocery store. So, it was a pleasant discovery when I saw this pasta dish in my favorite pasta cookbook and realized that I would not have to make an extra trip or wait till the next time I bought groceries just to make this for dinner. (Plus, it is always better for my budget when I don't have to make extra trips!)   When you look at the ingredient and directions, you'll see that dinner could hardly be any simpler. 

Fettuccine with Ham and Cream
Serves 4

4 ounces prosciutto crudo or other unsmoked ham (raw or cooked)
1/4 cup butter
2 shallots, very finely chopped
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
12 ounces fettuccine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black ground pepper
fresh parsley sprig, to garnish (optional)

Cut the fat from the ham and chop both lean and fat parts separately into small squares.

Melt the butter in a medium frying pan and add the shallots and the squares of ham fat. Cook until golden. Add the lean ham, and cook for 2 minuted more. Season with black pepper. Stir in the cream and the oregano. Keep warm over low heat while the pasta is cooking.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, turn into a warmed serving dish and toss with the sauce. Stir in the cheese and serve immediately, garnished with a sprig of parsley.

Source: Pasta: Irresistible Recipes for Perfect Pasta

Apple Cake

I always end up buying more apples than I know what to do with, especially this time of year. After making a batch of slightly dry and crumbly banana muffins earlier in the week, something with really moist apples seemed too good to resist. I ended up making this cake instead of muffins however, because as I flipped though my cookbooks, it sounded exactly like what I was craving. Maybe sometime I'll try it as muffins instead! I got up early Sunday morning to try this recipe out, and my husband and I ate warm apple cake with tea before heading out the door for church. It was perhaps a little sweet for breakfast in my opinion. And in my husband's opinion- well, nothing is ever too sweet for him, no matter the time of day. Enjoy!

Apple Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/2 whole wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, or regular milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped apples, with skins on
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)


Optional Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch square baking pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.

Whisk together in a large bowl the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Be sure to pinch out any lumps in the brown sugar. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla and stir together until smooth. Then stir in the apples and the nuts, if using.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. If desired, use additional thinly sliced apples to garnish the top of the cake before baking. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack.

Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze. If the glaze is too thin or thick, add a few more drops of milk or a little more powdered sugar as needed.  After the cake has cooled, but is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Or, drizzle the glaze on individual pieces right before serving.

Source: Joy of Cooking (2006)

Macaroni Souffle

I have an amazing cookbook dedicated all to pasta, and unfortunately, I have only used it a couple of times since I got it many years ago. I think this was one of the first cookbooks I owned when I was growing up. It is full of beautiful pictures and easy-to-follow directions. One of the things I love about it most is that it is cross cultural. Although it mostly covers Italian style pastas, it also includes different kinds of noodle dishes from Asian, African, and the good old United States.

I have only made a souffle once in my life. Really the only thing I remember about the souffle is that it was strange and didn't really turn out like the picture. I think I was probably 13 or 14. So this weekend, I decided that it was high time to try a souffle again! This recipe came from my pasta cookbook, and since I had everything on hand, I just went for it.  This souffle was a great Saturday lunch, and we will definitely be making it again.



Macaroni Souffle
Serves 3 to 4

3 ounces short cut macaroni
melted butter, to coat
3 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup Cheddar or Gruyere cheese, grated
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 eggs, separated
salt and ground black pepper

Cook the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Brush a 5-cup souffle dish with melted butter, then coat evenly with the bread crumbs. shaking out the excess from the pan.

Put the butter, paprika, flour and milk into a saucepan and slowly bring to boil, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and thick.

Simmer the sauce gently for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses until melted. Season well and mix with the cooked macaroni.

Beat in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and stir a quarter into the sauce mixture to lighten it slightly.

Using a large, metal spoon, carefully fold in the rest if the egg whites and transfer to the prepared souffle dish.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the souffle is risen and golden brown. The middle should wobble very slightly and the souffle should be lightly creamy inside.

Source: Pasta: Irresistible Recipes for Perfect Pasta (2001)

Rosemary Chicken and Stuffed Pasta

I was thinking about pasta again, so I decided that it was necessary to share this new favorite of mine. It is unique but very flavorful. I like making menus when planning for the week instead of just coming up with ideas for main dishes. Earlier this summer, I bought one of Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals cook books from Borders as they were having their going-out-of-business sale. I went all out a couple of times this summer and made the full menus, but found out I still like to make individual recipes. That's why I decided to post this one recipe instead of the whole menu it appeared with in my book. I was not used to cooking with balsamic vinegar when I found this, and I had to go out and buy a bottle before I could make dinner. Since my husband doesn't like rosemary, I actually left it out.

Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, cracked from the skin with the flat of the knife


Ravioli
salt and pepper, to taste
1 package fresh or frozen ravioli, any filling
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Marinate the chicken: coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season the chicken with rosemary, salt, and pepper, and let stand 10 minutes.

Start the ravioli: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until the raviolis expand and float to top of the water and are al dente. Drain.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken until juices run clear, 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

When the chicken has cooked midway, 5 or 6 minutes, start to prepare butter for ravioli: to a cold skillet, add butter and turn on medium heat. Let the butter brown. If you start with a cold pan, the butter should be lightly browned by the time it comes to a bubble. When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in the butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. The vinegar will become thick and syrup-like. Add cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

Slice the chicken on an angle and serve with ravioli.

Source: Classic 30 Minute Meals: The All-Occasion Cookbook

Creamy Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

I love soup. In my opinion, it is the crown of comfort foods. I just got an immersion blender this past summer, and I'm glad it's fall so I can actually put it to use! Fall is the perfect time for soup, after all. I first saw this recipe on Annie's Eats, and couldn't resist trying it, mostly because I have never made anything like this before and it was very simple. We made it this past weekend since people were coming over for the game. Just to be safe, I made some other things to eat as well so none of our guests would feel obligated to eat such an unconventional soup. I was pleasantly surprised, however. Most of our guest loved the soup, and we ended up with only enough leftovers for my husband and I to have a small bowl the next day. I tweaked the recipe just a little to make it a little more cheesy and smooth, but it is basically the same as the original.

The croutons may seem like an extra, unwanted step but they are so worth it. So don't skip it! The soup doesn't take very much time at all to make, and I would definitely recommend taking the time to make this delightfully crisp garnish.

Creamy Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

For the croutons:

About 6 oz. whole grain bread, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Kosher or sea salt

For the soup:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 shallots, minced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Kosher or sea salt

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

3½ cups vegetable broth

1 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 cream or half and half

Directions:

To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Add the bread cubes to a medium bowl and toss with the melted butter, olive oil, and mustard until evenly coated.  Spread the bread cubes out in an even layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crunchy.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt, then mix in the potato, garlic and vegetable broth.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer, keep covered, and let cook for about 8 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Add the cauliflower and cook about 7-8 minutes more, until the cauliflower is tender.  Stir in the cheese, mustard, and cream.

Puree with an immersion blender (or a food processor, vented to allow the steam to escape).  Mix in additional water or broth if the soup is too thick.  Season with additional salt to taste.  Serve warm topped with additional shredded cheese and the croutons.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

Crock Pot Ravioli

If there is one thing my husband and I can never get enough of- it's ravioli, or any cheese stuffed pasta, for that matter. Although I've made tortellini and ravioli from scratch before, most of the time for convenience sake, I like to get the fresh or frozen kind at the grocery store instead. This is a simple and delicious recipe I stumbled across the other day. With our busy schedules, it was nice to have something to throw in the slow cooker, and then know that supper was covered when I got off work. I added a few of my own twists, but the end product was nearly the same as the original recipe I found on The Nest. The original recipe made 10 servings, which I reduced so that my husband and I would only have leftovers for the next day instead of all week!

Cheesy Ravioli Casserole

Makes: 5 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 shallot, chopped (optional)

1 jar four cheese-flavored tomato pasta sauce

1 small can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

various Italian seasonings (such as oregano, basil, etc.)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 package frozen beef or cheese-filled pasta

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

Parmesan cheese

1. Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In Dutch oven or 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Cook onion and garlic in oil about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and your choice of Italian seasonings.

2. Place 1 cup of the sauce mixture in slow cooker. Add 1/2 the package of frozen ravioli; top with 1 cup of the cheese. Top with remaining package of ravioli and 1 cup cheese. Pour remaining sauce mixture over top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and oregano on top.

3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until hot.