Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

It was another great year for tomatoes. The only problem was that they didn't all ripen at the same time, only in small groups. It meant that I didn't get to bottle tomatoes like I usually do, but it did give us the opportunity to try other things with our tomatoes, like this really great soup.

Ingredients:
For soup:
5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped in large chunks
3 medium tomatoes, diced
5 cloves of garlic, pealed
2 medium onions, chopped in large chunks
Dried basil
1/4 C milk or cream
1-1/2 tsp salt
Italian seasoning
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Sour cream

For cheesy biscuits:
1 pkg refrigerator biscuits (10 count)
Grated cheddar cheese

Coat your vegetable grill pan with olive oil. We have this amazing Misto sprayer that works beautifully for this.

Place the chopped tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves on the pan. Season with olive oil, seasoning salt, and Italian seasoning.

Roast on your grill until the tomatoes are tender and the onion layers begin to separate.

Place in your blender and blend until finely chopped. (Yes, we had a minor incident with the blender.)

Transfer to medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add diced tomatoes, milk, salt, and at least one Tbl dried basil.

Heat until all ingredients are warm. Top with dried basil, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream. Serve with cheesy biscuits.

For the cheesy biscuits, preheat oven as directed on the package. Separate the biscuits and place on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle liberally with grated cheddar cheese.

Bake per packaging instructions.

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Chicken Velvet Soup

This soup is so creamy. I'm really happy to finally be blogging one of my favorite things in the world to make. This soup is relatively easy, and you can whip it up in a relatively short amount of time. Yes, everything about this soup is relative. I even got the recipe from a relative: my brother, Terry. Thanks, Terry! He makes it better than I do, but this isn't his blog.

Prep time is 15-20 minutes, once you have the stock prepared and the chicken ready. Though I sometimes use canned chicken, this is especially tasty with grilled chicken.

Ingredients:
1/3 C butter
3/4 C flour
6 C chicken stock (can use bouillon)
2 C cream (or milk/cream combination of your choice)
1-1/2 C chicken, cooked and diced or shredded
1/2 tsp salt
white pepper

Melt butter.

Add flour. Stir until blended.

Add 2 C hot stock and cream. Cook slowly until thick, stirring continuously.

Add remaining stock and chicken.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serves about 6.

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Pumpkin Soup

It's that time of year when my fancy turns to making soups. Homemade soup is just nice comfort food. This soup is especially good if you use fresh pumpkin. We also used the rosemary bread recipe to make bread bowls.

Ingredients:

6 C chicken stock

1-1/2 tsp salt

4 C pumpkin puree

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1 C chopped onion

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 C heavy whipping cream

5 whole black peppercorns

Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.

Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender. Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered.

Stir in heavy cream.

Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

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Slow Cooker Taco Soup

This is a great recipe for using up canned food (if this is what you have in your food storage). Even if you don't stock these things regularly, it's still a great, hearty soup. We also added cheese, sour cream, and corn chips right before serving.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 (16 oz.) can chili beans

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans

1 (4 oz.) can green chili peppers (optional)

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 (2.25 oz.) pkg taco seasoning

2 C water

Brown meat and onions. Drain and set aside.

Put all other ingredients except the water in your crock pot. DON'T DRAIN CANNED VEGETABLES!!!!

 

Add beef and mix well.

Add the water. If you double the recipe, it will barely fit in a standard crock pot. Add water last, and decrease as necessary to fit. Cook on low for 8 hours.

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