Moroccan Tomato Soup

Let's all just take a quick minute and think about this scenario: You are sitting outside on a gorgeous early summer day while the sun is shining brightly. Your sunhat is perfectly tilted over your right eye to give you the perfect amount of shade, the breeze is light and has the perfect touch to take the humidity out of the air. The only thing that would be better is if your stomach would just stop growling. Oh dear, what to fill it with?!                                                                                                                                                             Of course, the perfect bowl of fresh, homemade summer soup. And what's that you say? Your allergies are flaring up and you are in need of something spicy to clear out those nostrils? Enter Moroccan Tomato Soup, your new best friend.

Total time: 30 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. 1 can Trader Joe's Diced and Fire Roasted Tomatoes

2. 1 can Trader Joe's Diced and No Salt added Tomatoes

3. 3 cubes Dorat's frozen crushed garlic

4. 1 diced jalapeno

5. 1/2 container Trader Joe's Mirepoix

6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

7. 1 tablespoon Cumin

8. 1 tablespoon Curry powder

9. 2 teaspoons Turmeric

10. 1 teaspoon nutmeg

11. 2 tablespoons EVOO

12. 1 cup Coconut Milk

13. 1 cup water

Instructions:

1. Heat a soup pot to medium and add EVOO and garlic cubes

2. Add the mirepoix and jalapeno and sauté until soft (about 3 minutes)

3. Add in all spices and sautee until mixed (about 2 minutes)

4. Dump in both cans of tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes

5. Add Coconut milk

6. Using a hand immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Typically a few minutes depending on how chunky or smooth you like it.

7. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

Not Your Average Tomato Soup

I never grew up eating tomato soup. I knew I didn't like tomato juice. Seriously, the smell of V8 or anything like that kind of made me a little nauseous. The weird twist is that I LOVE tomatoes, I could actually eat a tomato like an apple. Beware: if you eat too many this way, you will get sores in your mouth. So does not feel good. And pretty much prohibits you from enjoying the other scrumptious you choose to indulge in. After going to college and joining my sorority where we had a cook prepare our meals for us, I was introduced to the Friday weekly staple; Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. I was cautious, wary, guarded. Should I try this combination that was always a faux pas in my childhood home? Was this going against the food regulations I was brought up with? Of course, I couldn't resist.

So I admit, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup made in bulk for 100 girls was no gourmet treat. But, it did challenge me to test my own culinary skills in search of a magnificent tomato soup that even my mother, who still to this day refuses to eat tomato soup, would eat. I think I might have found it. With a hint of sweetness from the red bell pepper and carrots combined with a bite from the garlic, the flavors mingle and in a delightful and haunting manner. the Please enjoy my homemade tomato soup and try it with my grilled cheese sandwich!

Serves 6
Total time (including prep): 2 hours
Ingredients:

5 fresh large tomatoes; chopped
5 carrots; chopped
1 white onion; sliced and diced
1 red bell pepper; chopped
2 garlic cloves; minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
14 oz box of Chicken Stock (I used reduced sodium)
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot combine chopped tomatoes, carrots, onions, red bell pepper, garlic, white wine and EVOO on Medium heat. Cover with lid and stew for 20 minutes stirring occasionally, also adding cayenne pepper and salt and pepper halfway through.
2. Add chicken stock and continue to cook 20 minutes.
3. The final step is to blend the soup. For this you can use many different avenues. I used a blender, but you could also use a hand blender or a food mill.
4. Blend until slightly chunky then transfer back to soup pot.
5. Serve with cheese or even some fresh herbs. Enjoy!!

Rosemary and Thyme Potato Soup

My Aunt Mary makes the absolute best potato soup. I am not even kidding right now. I am a lover of all things soup. Any time of the year, any time of the day and pretty much any flavor. Once one becomes a soup connoisseur such as myself, you can be a little more picky and snobbish when it comes to what kinds of soup you choose to indulge in. Sorry, but a non-flavorful starchy bland potato soup just isn't going to cut it. Fortunately, this particular soup du jour is full of flavors that burst in your mouth, a fragrance that wafts around your head enticing you to take the plunge and dip that spoon right in the pot and eat, eat eat!


The two main things that really make this soup a party in your mouth where everyone is invited are rosemary and thyme. I mean, wow. These ingredients make this soup extra special and one that you can be sure will please anyone!


Feel free to try some add-ins such as corn, broccoli, cheese or even tomatoes. Enjoy!


Ingredients:


6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups water
2 white onions, chopped
2 cups of frozen corn
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups milk

Instructions:

1. Place potatoes and water in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until tender

2. In another saucepan, saute onion butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. 

3. Slowly add the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes and corn with cooking liquid; heat through.

4. Use a potato smasher and smash half of the mixture so that there are still some chunks but it is a creamy soup.

Turkey Chili

Right around the beginning of October, I had the urge to chow on some yummy chili. Tis the season! There are a zillion different ways to make your chili with your choice of beans, tomatoes, and additional add-ins, your perfect chili can be achieved. I switched up my own night of chili by using ground turkey and additional spices.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground turkey
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can chili ready diced tomatoes
1/2 white onion diced
1 packet chili seasoning (check for gluten-free, if needed)
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Brown ground turkey and season with salt and pepper
2. Drain beans
3. Combine all ingredients in a large pot on medium high heat

Chunky Broccoli Soup

I love love love making a huge batch of soup in the fall and eating it throughout a chilly week. This soup is so versatile in that you can add different flavors by varying the spices you use. In this recipe, I just use salt and pepper, but recently, my aunt made a killer soup and added rosemary and thyme. The tomatoes add an extra kick with a little spice to heat up this delicious dish. Reheating is a snap, or if you're headed out of town for the weekend for a big football game, freeze the remaining soup and reheat the next week!

Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh broccoli stalks
2 carrots
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cans chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup half and half

Instructions:
1. Wash and cut broccoli into small chunks, shred carrots
2. Heat broccoli, carrot, salt, pepper and chicken broth to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer; cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes
3. Open and drain Rotel tomatoes and add to pot
4. Mix flour and water. Pour gradually into broccoli mixture
5. Heat to boiling and stir occasionally.
6. Stir in half and half. Stir frequently until hot. Do not let boil.