Classic Tomato Soup

4 Tablespoons of butter ( 1/2 stick )
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion ( I use red onion )
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup of all- purpose flour ( I use unbleached flour )
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans ( 14 1/2 oz each ) reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cans ( 28 oz each ) whole peeled tomatoes in juice
4 leaves of fresh basil *


Using a 5 quart saucepan melt butter; add oil and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, amount 5 minutes. Stir in flour and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.

To saucepan, add basil, broth and tomatoes, breaking the tomatoes with your fingers. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, 30 minutes.

Working in batches puree half of the soup in a blender until smooth; return to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or let it cool to room temperature before dividing amount air tight containers ( leaving 1 inch of space at the top ) and freezing.

* Options
Instead of basil you can use 2 springs of fresh thyme.

You can serve this with fresh strips of basil and some fresh Parmesan cheese or the typical American way with grilled cheese. If you want a different way of making grilled cheese let me know.

Cherry Tomato Salad

1 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved


In a medium bowl, combine mustard, lemon juice, and oil; season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add tomatoes and toss to coat. You can serve it chill or room tempeture.

Mexican Caviar

2 Cans of black eyed peas-rinsed and drained
1 Can of Shoe peg corn
Red, Yellow, Green peppers chopped ( amount you prefer )
1 Jalapeno pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Cilantro to taste
1-8 oz of free zesty italian dressing

*Optional:
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp hot sauce

Mix all together and chill! Serve with Frito's corn chips (Scoops)

Enjoy!

Pork with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 pepper
4 1/2 cups of cubed peeled sweet potatoes ( 1 1/2 pounds )
4 teaspoons olive oil or canola oil ( divided )
2 pork tenderloins ( 3/4 pounds each )
4 large Granny Smith or other tart apples, peeled and cored


In a small combine salt, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper. Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon spice mixture and 3 teaspoons of oil; toss to coat. Spread in a single layer in a 15x10 baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Rub the remaining oil over pork; rub with remaining spice mixture. Place over the sweet potatoes . Bake for 15 minutes. Cut apple into eight wedges. Turn pork; arrange apples around meat. Bake 15 minutes longer or until the meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Serves 6

Raspberry Pretzel Dessert

Using a 9x13 pan.

Crust: 2 Cups of broken pretzels
3 Tablespoon of sugar
3/4 Cup of butter ( melted )
Mix together and bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Cool.


Filling: 1- 8 oz pkg. cream cheese ( Fat Free )
1 cup of sugar
1- 8 oz container of cool whip ( Fat Free)
Blend and spread on the crust.


Topping: 6 oz Red Raspberry Jello
2 Cup of hot water
10 oz pkg. frozen red raspberries
Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add raspberries. Chill 45 min until thickened, but not set. Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill until set.


Enjoy this is one of my family favorite over the summer! Is my mother in law recipe.

Brooklyn Ricotta Roll

This a sandwich version of white pizza!

2 sandwich rolls, such as kaiser rolls or sourdough
2/3 Cup of shredded mozzarella
2/3 Cup of ricotta
6 fresh basil leaves

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Slices the rolls in half horizontally. Hollow them out by removing most of the soft crumb from the tops and bottoms. Distribute the mozzarella evenly inside each of the 4 hollowed-out halves. Place 1/3 cup of ricotta into each bottom half. Top each bottom half with 3 basil leaves. Put the 2 halves of rolls back together and wrap each sandwich in foil. Bake until outside are crispy and the cheeses are melted, 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Slice in half and serve.

Cesar Salad on side is nice!

Shrimp Gazpacho

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 Plum tomatoes, chopped ( about 3 cups)
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 Cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 Cup finely chopped red peppers and yellow peppers
1 1/2 Cup tomato juice
2 Tablespoons red-wine vinegar

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over high heat, swirling to coat bottom of the pan. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add half the shrimp; cook until browned on both sides and opaque in the center, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining shrimp( reduce heat if browning too quickly).
In a food processor, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic and of the peppers; process until combined. Add tomato juice and vinegar; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide tomato mixture among bowls; top with shrimp and remaining pepper.
Garnish with Parsley!

Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup with a lot of potential!!