Mmmmm.....cookies. Speaking of mmmmm, I saw a baby "onesie" today that read, "mmmmm....boobies". Very funny, I think!
Anyhow, we will not be talking about that here. I'm talkin' cookies - peanut butter cookies. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter cookies in general. I made these because my husband, Jay, loves them. And, he did love these. The recipe I got online said to only bake them for about 10 minutes (some suggested even less), so that they're soft. They say that they are soft when they come out of the oven, and then the outside firms up, while the inside stays soft. My experience was that they were soft and stayed soft. My hubby still loves them, but they're not the firmness that I would choose. That's why I recommend baking them 10 to 15 minutes (or even more, so long as you keep an eye on them and don't let them burn). But, of course, if you like soft peanut butter cookies (and a lot of people do), then bake them for 10 minutes or slightly less.
Here's the recipe:
CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cups crunchy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
DIRECTIONS
Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll into 1 inch balls and dip each ball in granulated sugar. With sugared side up, put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 350 or 375 degrees F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Ham and Basil Pasta with Cream Sauce
Hey, y'all! Sorry I haven't written in a little while. I've actually been cooking up a storm. I have lots of recipes to share with you. Let's do them one at a time, though, shall we?
So, I had the girls over the other night for our book group. We do talk about "the book", but it's mostly an excuse to get together and eat and talk. That's what girls do best!
Now, here's the story of this pasta..."Here's the story....of a lovely pasta..." (cue music) - JUST KIDDING. But seriously, I was at Panera Bread when I smelled this smell that was not only delicious, but it totally reminded me of a recipe I used to make like 20 years ago. I learned it in high school. For the life of me, I could not remember what it was. It came a piece at a time. First, I realized it was pasta. Then, the ham and basil. Then parmesan. Then mushrooms, and on and on like that. It took me about a day of mind probing to even begin to recall the recipe, but it did finally come together. I think this version is a bastardized version of what I once knew, but it turned out pretty good, so ... whatever. I warn you - it's a bit complicated - not HARD, just complicated and it takes a bit of time. AND, the recipe easily feeds 10, so feel free to cut it down to size.
Ham and Basil Pasta with Cream Sauce
(makes 10 servings)
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil (or any oil you like the flavor of)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cloves shallot, minced
8 Tbsp Butter (separated out into 6 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp Flour
1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock (depends on your taste – I completely left this out and it still turned out great)
2 cups heavy cream (Don't substitute a lighter milk product here unless you REALLY know your way around creams and sauces. Only heavy cream thickens when simmered. Other milk products will separate or react in other undesirable ways, so you'd have to be very confident about your alternative method of thickening the sauce).
2 packages sliced mushrooms (20 oz)
1 ½ cup peas (cooked, but not overcooked or mushy)
25-30 leaves fresh basil, chopped (you can’t have too much)
8 to 12 oz cooked ham, chopped into small squares or cubes
2 – 12 oz. packages of farfalle (or your favorite pasta)
2 cups fresh grated parmesan (you can substitute some (preferably not all) of the processed stuff in the green can, too. It’s actually not bad in this)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
NOTE: It’s probably a good idea to prepare everything ahead of time (chop garlic and shallots, chop ham, grate cheese, chop basil, etc.)
1. Heat water for pasta and cook the pasta according to the package directions while you do the rest of the stuff in the recipe.
2. Cook peas according to directions (don’t overcook. You don’t want them to be mushy). Set aside.
3. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a pan. Add ham. Sautee on high heat until slightly browned (stirring often). Set aside.
4. Heat cream in heavy bottom large saucepan or pot, over very low heat. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. (DO NOT LET IT BOIL – JUST A VERY GENTLY SIMMER. Boiling will cause it to separate).
5. While heating cream in a separate pan, place garlic, shallots, and 6 Tbsp butter in another pan and cook over low/medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Remember, garlic burns really easily! Add 1 tbsp flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. This will cook the flour taste out of the mixture. Add chicken stock or wine to the garlic butter mixture and let it reduce over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. – I completely forgot to add the chicken stock or wine and it turned out fine anyway. I think it just gives it more flavor, which I made up for later by adding extra salt.
6. Add chicken stock mixture to cream. Stir. Cook over very low heat for about 2 minutes or until thickened (stirring often)
7. If you have another (very large) pan for sautéing, then get that out now. Otherwise, if you’re like me and have only one large fantastic pan (we’ll call that “pan A”), then move the cream sauce mixture to another pan (we’ll call that…you guessed it, “pan B”) and wipe the cream out of pan A. We will use that large and fabulous pan A to sauté the mushrooms. Place 2 Tbsp butter and all of the mushrooms in the large pan and sauté until cooked, stirring occasionally (about 3 to 5 minutes). The length of time really depends on how you like your mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste while cooking (black pepper goes great with mushrooms).
8. In whichever pot is biggest, combine cooked pasta, cream sauce mixture, ham, peas, basil, mushrooms (including their sauce in the pan), and parmesan. Stir it all together and add salt and pepper to taste.
INCIDENTALLY – processed parmesan cheese is actually great in this recipe, if you use it to supplement the fresh stuff. I wouldn’t go all processed, although it would taste fine. Fresh stuff really adds a lot. You can sprinkle the processed stuff on top, or add some in to the pasta mixture to taste.
So, I had the girls over the other night for our book group. We do talk about "the book", but it's mostly an excuse to get together and eat and talk. That's what girls do best!
Now, here's the story of this pasta..."Here's the story....of a lovely pasta..." (cue music) - JUST KIDDING. But seriously, I was at Panera Bread when I smelled this smell that was not only delicious, but it totally reminded me of a recipe I used to make like 20 years ago. I learned it in high school. For the life of me, I could not remember what it was. It came a piece at a time. First, I realized it was pasta. Then, the ham and basil. Then parmesan. Then mushrooms, and on and on like that. It took me about a day of mind probing to even begin to recall the recipe, but it did finally come together. I think this version is a bastardized version of what I once knew, but it turned out pretty good, so ... whatever. I warn you - it's a bit complicated - not HARD, just complicated and it takes a bit of time. AND, the recipe easily feeds 10, so feel free to cut it down to size.
Ham and Basil Pasta with Cream Sauce
(makes 10 servings)
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil (or any oil you like the flavor of)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cloves shallot, minced
8 Tbsp Butter (separated out into 6 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp Flour
1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock (depends on your taste – I completely left this out and it still turned out great)
2 cups heavy cream (Don't substitute a lighter milk product here unless you REALLY know your way around creams and sauces. Only heavy cream thickens when simmered. Other milk products will separate or react in other undesirable ways, so you'd have to be very confident about your alternative method of thickening the sauce).
2 packages sliced mushrooms (20 oz)
1 ½ cup peas (cooked, but not overcooked or mushy)
25-30 leaves fresh basil, chopped (you can’t have too much)
8 to 12 oz cooked ham, chopped into small squares or cubes
2 – 12 oz. packages of farfalle (or your favorite pasta)
2 cups fresh grated parmesan (you can substitute some (preferably not all) of the processed stuff in the green can, too. It’s actually not bad in this)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
NOTE: It’s probably a good idea to prepare everything ahead of time (chop garlic and shallots, chop ham, grate cheese, chop basil, etc.)
1. Heat water for pasta and cook the pasta according to the package directions while you do the rest of the stuff in the recipe.
2. Cook peas according to directions (don’t overcook. You don’t want them to be mushy). Set aside.
3. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a pan. Add ham. Sautee on high heat until slightly browned (stirring often). Set aside.
4. Heat cream in heavy bottom large saucepan or pot, over very low heat. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. (DO NOT LET IT BOIL – JUST A VERY GENTLY SIMMER. Boiling will cause it to separate).
5. While heating cream in a separate pan, place garlic, shallots, and 6 Tbsp butter in another pan and cook over low/medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Remember, garlic burns really easily! Add 1 tbsp flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. This will cook the flour taste out of the mixture. Add chicken stock or wine to the garlic butter mixture and let it reduce over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. – I completely forgot to add the chicken stock or wine and it turned out fine anyway. I think it just gives it more flavor, which I made up for later by adding extra salt.
6. Add chicken stock mixture to cream. Stir. Cook over very low heat for about 2 minutes or until thickened (stirring often)
7. If you have another (very large) pan for sautéing, then get that out now. Otherwise, if you’re like me and have only one large fantastic pan (we’ll call that “pan A”), then move the cream sauce mixture to another pan (we’ll call that…you guessed it, “pan B”) and wipe the cream out of pan A. We will use that large and fabulous pan A to sauté the mushrooms. Place 2 Tbsp butter and all of the mushrooms in the large pan and sauté until cooked, stirring occasionally (about 3 to 5 minutes). The length of time really depends on how you like your mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste while cooking (black pepper goes great with mushrooms).
8. In whichever pot is biggest, combine cooked pasta, cream sauce mixture, ham, peas, basil, mushrooms (including their sauce in the pan), and parmesan. Stir it all together and add salt and pepper to taste.
INCIDENTALLY – processed parmesan cheese is actually great in this recipe, if you use it to supplement the fresh stuff. I wouldn’t go all processed, although it would taste fine. Fresh stuff really adds a lot. You can sprinkle the processed stuff on top, or add some in to the pasta mixture to taste.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Linzer Cookies - They May Just Be Worth The Effort
I got a craving for these cookies the other day. My Dad has a Hungarian restaurant and they used to make them all the time - Linzer Cookies. If you're not familiar with them, they're basically a buttery, nutty cookie sandwich, with rasberry jam in the middle, topped with powdered sugar. They're very European. You can get some at the store - I'm pretty sure Pepperidge Farm makes them - but they're not the same as the real thing. After I first made these, I thought "this is definitely not worth the effort". Sometimes, it's fun just to make something and say that you made it, all the while knowing that you probably won't do it again because it's not worth all the work. But after eating these for a couple of days, I have to say I've changed my mind. They are totally worth it! Give it a try if you have a little time. I made the dough and let it sit in the refridgerator overnight. That makes it seem like less work because you're not doing it all at once. Here it is - enjoy!
Linzer Cookies
1 cup (110 grams) blanched or sliced almonds, toasted and ground (hazelnuts, or pecans can also be used)
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (227 grams) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Zest of 1 lemon (Note: Lemon Zest is the yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor and perfume. Can be removed with a citrus zester or grater. When removing the outer rind (zest) do not remove the white pith, which is very bitter and inedible.)
Confectioners' (Icing or Powdered) Sugar for dusting
1/2 cup seedless Raspberry or Black Currant Preserves or Jam (can use other flavored preserves or jam)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Toast the almonds (or pecans) on a baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes (or until lightly browned and fragrant). If using hazelnuts, toast them for 15 minutes or until fragrant and the skins begin to flake. (This next step is for hazelnuts or WHOLE almonds only...) Remove from oven and place the hot nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts sit (steam) for five minutes then rub the nuts in the towel briskly to remove the skins.
Once the nuts have cooled, place in a food processor and process with 1/4 cup (50 grams) of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground. (the sugar is important here because it soaks up the moisture from the nuts and keeps your mixture from turning into paste). Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Beat in the ground nuts. Add the flour mixture beating just until incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles. Roll out a long sheet of plastic wrap and place one of the dough rectangles on it. Roll out another sheet of plastic wrap about the same size and place on top. The original recipe said to roll out (with your hands or a roller) each half of the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle, stick it in the fridge and let it firm up, then roll it thinner, into a 1/4 thick rectangle. I found that a firm dough is impossible to work with. It just cracked and broke when I tried to roll it thinner. I basically had to warm it up again to be able to roll it out. THEREFORE, I recommend just rolling the dough out (on a lightly floured surface, of course) into the 1/4 thickness that you want (it's pretty thick), and put it into the fridge at that thickness. Then, when you're ready to cut it, it will be firm and ready for cutting, but won't need to be rolled out anymore. Incidentally, you can leave this dough in the fridge for several days if you want to, before you cut it.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Using a 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cookie cutter (round, square, heart, etc.) cut out the dough. Place the cookies about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller cookie cutter (3/4 - 1 inch (2.54 cm)) to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. (You will be sandwiching two cookies together and there will be a small 'window or cut out' in the top cookie so you can see the jam underneath.) (FYI - I used a scalloped edge biscuit cutter for the main cookie cutter and an apple corer for the center hole. It was the perfect size and shape).
Reroll any scraps and cut out the cookies. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll and cut out the rest of the cookies. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. (as usual, it took me a little longer in the oven).
While the cookies are cooling place the raspberry jam in a small saucepan and heat gently until it has thickened slightly. Strain if there are any lumps in the jam. Let cool. (I've got to be honest with you - I have no idea what the purpose of this is. I used "jam" (as opposed to preserves or jelly), and when it cooled, it was exactly the same consistency as it had been when I took it out of the refrigerator. It seems like a needless step and in fact, I ran out of "cooked" jelly and used some straight out of the jar for the rest and I couldn't tell the difference.)
To Assemble Cookies: Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a wire rack and lightly dust the tops with the confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar.
On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread with about a 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Place the cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. Using a small spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.
Note: You can store the unassembled cookies in the refrigerator for several days in an airtight container. It is best, though, to assemble the cookies the same day as serving in order to keep the cookies crisp..
Makes about 20 - 2 inch (5 cm) sandwiched cookies.
Linzer Cookies
1 cup (110 grams) blanched or sliced almonds, toasted and ground (hazelnuts, or pecans can also be used)
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (227 grams) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Zest of 1 lemon (Note: Lemon Zest is the yellow outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavor and perfume. Can be removed with a citrus zester or grater. When removing the outer rind (zest) do not remove the white pith, which is very bitter and inedible.)
Confectioners' (Icing or Powdered) Sugar for dusting
1/2 cup seedless Raspberry or Black Currant Preserves or Jam (can use other flavored preserves or jam)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Toast the almonds (or pecans) on a baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes (or until lightly browned and fragrant). If using hazelnuts, toast them for 15 minutes or until fragrant and the skins begin to flake. (This next step is for hazelnuts or WHOLE almonds only...) Remove from oven and place the hot nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts sit (steam) for five minutes then rub the nuts in the towel briskly to remove the skins.
Once the nuts have cooled, place in a food processor and process with 1/4 cup (50 grams) of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground. (the sugar is important here because it soaks up the moisture from the nuts and keeps your mixture from turning into paste). Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Beat in the ground nuts. Add the flour mixture beating just until incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles. Roll out a long sheet of plastic wrap and place one of the dough rectangles on it. Roll out another sheet of plastic wrap about the same size and place on top. The original recipe said to roll out (with your hands or a roller) each half of the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle, stick it in the fridge and let it firm up, then roll it thinner, into a 1/4 thick rectangle. I found that a firm dough is impossible to work with. It just cracked and broke when I tried to roll it thinner. I basically had to warm it up again to be able to roll it out. THEREFORE, I recommend just rolling the dough out (on a lightly floured surface, of course) into the 1/4 thickness that you want (it's pretty thick), and put it into the fridge at that thickness. Then, when you're ready to cut it, it will be firm and ready for cutting, but won't need to be rolled out anymore. Incidentally, you can leave this dough in the fridge for several days if you want to, before you cut it.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Using a 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cookie cutter (round, square, heart, etc.) cut out the dough. Place the cookies about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller cookie cutter (3/4 - 1 inch (2.54 cm)) to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. (You will be sandwiching two cookies together and there will be a small 'window or cut out' in the top cookie so you can see the jam underneath.) (FYI - I used a scalloped edge biscuit cutter for the main cookie cutter and an apple corer for the center hole. It was the perfect size and shape).
Reroll any scraps and cut out the cookies. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll and cut out the rest of the cookies. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. (as usual, it took me a little longer in the oven).
While the cookies are cooling place the raspberry jam in a small saucepan and heat gently until it has thickened slightly. Strain if there are any lumps in the jam. Let cool. (I've got to be honest with you - I have no idea what the purpose of this is. I used "jam" (as opposed to preserves or jelly), and when it cooled, it was exactly the same consistency as it had been when I took it out of the refrigerator. It seems like a needless step and in fact, I ran out of "cooked" jelly and used some straight out of the jar for the rest and I couldn't tell the difference.)
To Assemble Cookies: Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a wire rack and lightly dust the tops with the confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar.
On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread with about a 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Place the cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. Using a small spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.
Note: You can store the unassembled cookies in the refrigerator for several days in an airtight container. It is best, though, to assemble the cookies the same day as serving in order to keep the cookies crisp..
Makes about 20 - 2 inch (5 cm) sandwiched cookies.
SOOOO YUMMMY!!!!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Mushroom White Wine Cream Sauce
So what do I do with my leftover heavy cream? Remember - I used a bunch to make that creamy tomato bisque? Well, I figured that some sort of cream sauce would be just the thing. I did a Google search (SORRY, Julie!) on "heavy cream sauce" or something like that. I took a recipe I found and made it my own because, of course, if I'm going to make some sort of delicious sauce, it's got to have mushrooms in it. Incidentally, this was sooo rich and I ate it all (which was too much for one person). As a result, I actually felt kind of nauseous. I guess that's not a great thing to say when describing a recipe - "it made me sick", but seriously...all I'm saying is that this is extremely rich and while very delicious, it should be eaten in moderation. Easier said than done because it's really, really yummy. Here it is - enjoy!
White Wine Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 clove shallot, minced
2 Tbsp Butter
1 package sliced mushrooms
¼ to ½ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Finely chopped fresh parsley (optional, but it does add a nice fresh taste and it looks so pretty)
Directions:
Saute minced garlic and/or shallot in butter over low/medium heat for 2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms (whatever amount you like – I used one package from Trader Joe’s). Sautee over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms change color. You can’t really overcook them – it just depends on how you like your mushrooms. Remember to keep the heat low enough not to burn the garlic and shallot.
Add ¼ cup to ½ cup white wine (I didn’t measure it). Let it reduce for 5 to 10 minutes, or until there’s just a few tablespoons of liquid left in the pan. Turn off heat. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped fresh parsley and serve over noodles.
Incidentally, I a friend just told me about a "grilled peach" recipe that I will have to try and share with you... I will - stay tuned...
White Wine Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 clove shallot, minced
2 Tbsp Butter
1 package sliced mushrooms
¼ to ½ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Finely chopped fresh parsley (optional, but it does add a nice fresh taste and it looks so pretty)
Directions:
Saute minced garlic and/or shallot in butter over low/medium heat for 2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms (whatever amount you like – I used one package from Trader Joe’s). Sautee over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms change color. You can’t really overcook them – it just depends on how you like your mushrooms. Remember to keep the heat low enough not to burn the garlic and shallot.
Add ¼ cup to ½ cup white wine (I didn’t measure it). Let it reduce for 5 to 10 minutes, or until there’s just a few tablespoons of liquid left in the pan. Turn off heat. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped fresh parsley and serve over noodles.
Incidentally, I a friend just told me about a "grilled peach" recipe that I will have to try and share with you... I will - stay tuned...
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Vons Tomato Bisque...mmmmm
We have a grocery store chain out here on the west coast called Von's (some of their stores are called Pavilions - it's the same store). Anyhow, they make this tomato bisque soup that is to die for. I think it's called Tuscan tomato basil or something like that. I decided I had to have the recipe, so I used the magic of the Internet. it's amazing how you can just go to Google (or Yahoo search...that was for you, Julie)....and find anything you want. I just typed in something like "Von's tomato bisque" and came up with a few different versions. I picked one that had lots of good reviews and, as always, I took some of the suggestions from the other folks who had made the recipe, and incorporated those suggestions into "my" version. I served this with some super easy homemade parmesan croutons. Here it is!
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (aka Von's Tuscan Tomato Bisque), with Parmesan Croutons
INGREDIENTS:
For the soup:
4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced (canned is ok – crushed or diced, but I don’t really know how much – maybe an 8 or 16 oz can? I used sweet cherry tomatoes and didn't seed or peel them - didn't make a bit of difference.)
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
sautéed chopped garlic (1 large clove) and/or shallot/onion (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil
For the parmesan croutons:
4 large slices of bread
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
olive oil to coat
garlic salt (or plain salt is ok, too)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Sautee one clove garlic and one clove shallot in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stock pot over low/medium heat for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice to the stock pot over medium heat. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
While that's simmering, brush bread on one side with olive oil. Cut into cubes and spread out on an ungreased baking sheet, oiled side UP. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in 300 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (it's a slow, low heat thing - that's what dries out the bread and makes it crispy - like a crouton. In fact, you can even do it at 275, depending on your oven.)
After the mixture has simmered for about 30 minutes, puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves (in a blender), and return the puree to the stock pot. (you don’t have to puree all of the mixture, if you want a little bit of texture left in the soup). Remember, when you puree hot liquids in a blender, only fill the blender 1/3 full (you will have to do it in 2 or 3 batches). Also, you may want to remove the center knob on the lid (to allow steam to escape). Just cover it with a small plate while your actually doing the pureeing.
Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat. Do not boil.
Pour soup into bowls and drop a bunch of croutons in. Yummm!!!
NOTE: This is really fattening. I make no guarantees whatsoever that this will not go straight to your thighs. And, unfortunately, substitutions will NOT produce the same result. Fortunately, this freezes really well, so you can eat some and freeze some for later.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (aka Von's Tuscan Tomato Bisque), with Parmesan Croutons
INGREDIENTS:
For the soup:
4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced (canned is ok – crushed or diced, but I don’t really know how much – maybe an 8 or 16 oz can? I used sweet cherry tomatoes and didn't seed or peel them - didn't make a bit of difference.)
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
sautéed chopped garlic (1 large clove) and/or shallot/onion (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil
For the parmesan croutons:
4 large slices of bread
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
olive oil to coat
garlic salt (or plain salt is ok, too)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Sautee one clove garlic and one clove shallot in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stock pot over low/medium heat for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice to the stock pot over medium heat. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
While that's simmering, brush bread on one side with olive oil. Cut into cubes and spread out on an ungreased baking sheet, oiled side UP. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in 300 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (it's a slow, low heat thing - that's what dries out the bread and makes it crispy - like a crouton. In fact, you can even do it at 275, depending on your oven.)
After the mixture has simmered for about 30 minutes, puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves (in a blender), and return the puree to the stock pot. (you don’t have to puree all of the mixture, if you want a little bit of texture left in the soup). Remember, when you puree hot liquids in a blender, only fill the blender 1/3 full (you will have to do it in 2 or 3 batches). Also, you may want to remove the center knob on the lid (to allow steam to escape). Just cover it with a small plate while your actually doing the pureeing.
Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat. Do not boil.
Pour soup into bowls and drop a bunch of croutons in. Yummm!!!
NOTE: This is really fattening. I make no guarantees whatsoever that this will not go straight to your thighs. And, unfortunately, substitutions will NOT produce the same result. Fortunately, this freezes really well, so you can eat some and freeze some for later.
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