Homemade Tomato Soup

This has been our *favorite* soup since 2009. Truly. When I make this my two year old cleans his bowl before he even touches his grilled cheese. I usually serve this with pesto chicken panini. Ciabatta bread, Costco pesto, tomato, fresh mozzarella, Costco rotisserie chicken, salt and pepper on my Foreman grill. We make this after we go on a shopping trip to Costco, did you guess? I actually need to make this again so I can really take a picture of it (forgive the travesty below) and I can't wait! Ah. It is IN.CREDIBLE.

I apologize for the photo - I am seriously the worst.  

Adapted from Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello
Serves 4

1- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, scrubbed and diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cups chicken brother
1 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional....but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While your oven is heating, open your can of tomatoes and strain them in a wire colander over a bowl for 5 minutes. (keep the juice, you'll need it later). Take a large baking sheet and spread the tomatoes out on it. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon) and then drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil over the top. Toss to cover the tomatoes in the oil. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes start to caramelize to turn dark brown in spots. Remove from oven and set aside.

While your tomatoes are roasting, pull out a large saucepan. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, onions and cook until soft...10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. incorporate the reserved tomato juice, chicken brother, bay leaf, butter and roasted tomatoes. simmer until everything is nice and tender, another 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the basil and cream and purée with an immersion blender until nice and smooth. You can also purée the soup in batches in your blender.

Observe the empty bowl and the untouched grilled cheese. 

A shot of the panino. Scrumptious. 

creamy feta and roasted tomato sandwich

I had some friends over this morning to make a big batch of english muffins and this is what we had for lunch. The tomatoes roast on low for 2 hours and the feta spread came together in about 3 minutes. Together they make this incredible combination of tangy and salty feta with the sweet and juicy tomato. The basil is thanks (yet again) to a friend with a giant basil plant. They're the best kind of friends. 

Possible remixes:

- Replace the tomato with thinly sliced radish

- Replace the tomato with apple slices

Recipe inspired by Ina Garten and Martha Stewart

Serves 6

roasted tomatoes, recipe follows
feta spread, recipe follows
12 basil leaves, washed and dried
freshly ground black pepper
6 English muffins, toasted

Spread a delicious amount of feta on the toasted english muffin. Next, add a roasted tomato and top that with a nice big piece of basil. Add a little ground pepper and you are in business.

Roasted Tomatoes
6 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeds removed (do not remove the cores)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove, minced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange tomatoes on it, cut side up in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast in oven for 2 hours until the tomatoes are shriveled but juicy and have a nice color. Let cool.

Feta Spread
8 ounces Feta
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Combine ingredients in the bowl of a food processor (I actually used the mini one that came with my immersion blender and it totally worked). Process until smooth.

basil mashed potatoes

These potatoes are great for exactly 2 reasons. 

1. They can stand on their own two feet without gravy. And that's nice because sometimes I am just waaayy too lazy to make gravy. 
2. They have fresh basil and a little pesto mixed in. I am not a huge fan of mashed potatoes because I often feel like they don't taste like anything. These taste like hotness.

 I suggest everyone find a friend who has a crazy productive basil plant so you can make these all the time (note: Michelle Bateman is my basil friend and you had better not take her from me. I will come after you with my chubby ginger baby).

Another keeper from the inspired Ina Garten
Serves 6

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 packed cups of basil
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup milk
salt and pepper
1 heaping spoonful of prepared pesto

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water heats up, combine ice cubes and some cold water in another bowl (make an ice bath because you need to shock the basil to keep it a gorgeous green color). Add the basil and cook for 15 seconds then transfer to the ice bath using a slotted spoon. This will shock the basil and keep it nice and green. Set the basil aside. In the same boiling water then add the potatoes and cook for 20-25 minutes until they are easily pierced with a knife tip.

While the potatoes cook away combine the milk, parmesan, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a small saucepan. Simmer until very warm but do not let it boil. Remove from heat immediately. In the bowl of a food processor add the blanched basil leaves and process. Slowly add the milk/cheese mixture and process for 30 seconds or until well combined.

Strain the potatoes and then return them to the cooktop in the same pan. Turn the heat off but keep the pot on the burner and stir the potatoes for 1 minutes, until most of the excess water has evaporated. Using a hand mixer or a potato masher, smash up the potatoes and then add the basil/milk mixture. Stir/Whirl until the potato has soaked up the milky goodness and turned a gorgeous shade of green. Add the pesto and mix it in. Serve with more cheese on top and enjoy!

roasted tomato caprese

I think these tomatoes would be incredible in pretty much anything/everything - salads, panini, pasta dishes...the list could continue but that's all I could come up with. oh wait - plain! Just eat them plain! The concentrated flavor is incredible and it made for a great summer dinner for our family. 

Recipe from the glorious Ina Garten
Side dish or appetizer for 4 people, dinner for 2  

6 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeds removed (do not remove the core)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
pinch of sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves, julienned 

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange tomatoes on it, cut side up in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with garlic, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast in oven for 2 hours until the tomatoes are shriveled, yet firm, and have a great caramelization. Let tomatoes cool.

While the tomatoes cool, cut the mozzarella into slices that are about as thick and wide as the now-caramelized tomatoes. Alternate cheese and tomato slices on a platter and sprinkle the basil on top. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of kosher salt and a little drizzle of olive oil.