Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Tomato Soup Love and a WIP

Hello Friends,
I don't know about you but this weather is making me lazy! All I want to do is snuggle up under a blanket and hibernate. The one thing I have been doing is making (and eating) this yummy tomato soup. I started looking for a good recipe after having creamy tomato soup at Panera. This isn't the same but just as good plus it's so easy and doesn't have any weird ingredients. Believe me, if I have all of the ingredients on hand, it must be simple.

Homemade Tomato Soup (from the Food Network website)

Prep Time:
10 min
Cook Time:
40 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 servings

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, diced 1 small carrot, diced 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.
I left out the basil and I used skim milk instead of cream and it was still good. Sorry I don't have any pictures but I ate it all before I had the idea to post the recipe:) To make it extra, extra delicious, serve it with really good croutons.

Next is the most recent picture of "The Fish Juggler." I can't remember the last time I took so much time on a painting but it's been fun.



Well, I'm off to the studio the finish a few family portraits that I will share with you later:)

Have a great day!!

7 comments:

Micki Wilde said...

Love the little crossed eyes on the fishies!! the finished painting is Brilliant.

Micki x

CourtneyP said...

Love the painting. Tomato soup is my all time favorite so I going to try your receipe.

Pam Mattick Art and Stuff said...

Another trick I learned from Giada is to use a can of Spaghetti sauce, a container of chicken stock and then most of your ingredients plus a couple of handfuls of very small pasta. Heat all and when pasta is cooked it's done. Easy Peasy.

Tracy Nuskey Dodson said...

Mmmmm, that sounds good too!
Thanks Pam:)

Doda said...

what a fabulous painting! I love it ! Well worth the time you spent

Micki Wilde said...

Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog, I have a 10 year old son who loves stripes and skulls too!

I'll have to practise more boy sketches ;)

Micki x

Boutique By Bonnie said...

Oh I want soup so badly now! It's been snowing in Colorado today.