Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup

Oh the joy of discovering excellent recipes!  My heart is full with happiness and my stomach cannot wait to taste this nurturing soup again.  I wish I could claim full credit, but I cannot.  This is the fine work of Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen.  The original recipe is called Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup.

It serves 6 to 8, easy.  I enjoyed it twice in one day last weekend, it's so smooth and satisfying. It's called creamless AND creamy because the recipe does not call for heavy cream or half-n-half.  The creamy texture comes from using 3 slices of sandwich bread.  I kid you not, it's the secret ingredient to its success.  My family didn't have a clue; they didn't even ask.  They just slurped it down as they groaned over their bowls.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• Pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step.

The original recipe is called Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup, published September 1, 2008, from Cook's Illustrated.com.

MY COOKING NOTES:

• I wanted to use my very favorite canned tomatoes, San Marzano whole plum tomatoes.  They're sweet with the right level of acidity for soups and sauces.  They cost more than the average can of whole tomatoes, but they're worth it when I need a tomato sauce to stand alone.  I use the other brand tomatoes for chilis and salsas.  Taste them for yourself and you'll know where I'm coming from.
• I saved the pinch of red pepper flakes as the last seasoning before serving the grown ups.  I was afraid the heat would be noticeable to the kiddos.  I wanted them to love this soup and didn't need reasons for them not to like it.
• I skipped the brandy.  No one in my family has ever tasted it.  I don't keep it on hand.  So, I figured no one would know it was missing. Right?
• I didn't have onion chives, but I did have garlic chives from the herb garden.  They were perfect.
• I used my immersion blender to puree the tomato-bread mixture.  Then I passed it through a mesh strainer before adding the broth.  This removed the seeds and stray bits of tomato skins, along with taking the soup to the next smoothest texture.  It makes all the big difference in making the soup feel creamy in the mouth.  It's worth it when I take the extra 3 minutes to strain the soup.
• Next time, I'm doubling the recipe so I can freeze servings for make-ahead-lunches.  Since there's no dairy involved, this recipe is sure to hold up for future meals.

Sloppy Joes and Country Bobs

My kids have been begging me to make Sloppy Joes. It's been SO long since I've made them, how could I say no? This time, I had something new to add to the sauce that made my family go back for seconds.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 pound of fresh, lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup ketchup
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce
• whole wheat buns

Brown meat and season with salt and pepper. Add ketchup and all purpose sauce, then simmer over medium heat until it thickens. Toast buns in a toaster or in an oven at 300F degrees for 5 to 7 minutes.

IT'S TIME TO EAT!

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce tastes like a steak sauce with a little kick. It totally works next to steak, basted on grilled chicken and added to pick up Sloppy Joes. It's not so spicy that the kids noticed any heat in the Joes, they just kept on eating.

If you haven't had a chance to try Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce go over through the link. When you sign up for their newsletter, they send you a FREE BOTTLE!

Go get your FREE BOTTLE and come back here and tell me what you think of it. I'm curious to know how many folks claim a bottle and actually try it. Aren't you?

Barbecue Sandwiches

We had roast for Sunday lunch, yesterday. It was goood! I'll write about it tomorrow.

Today, I simmered up my own barbecue sauce and chopped up the leftover roast to make tangy and sweet sandwiches for dinner tonight. I had to make a sandwich, so I could show you how yummy they look. (mouth full...I gan't wait fer thinner!)

HERE'S WHAT I DID

• 3 cups of chopped roast, approx.
• 3/4 cup ketchup or catsup
• 1/3 cup root beer soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced slivers
• 4 hamburger buns, toasting optional

In a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, simmer all the ingredients together until the onion is cooked tender, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove any fat from leftover roast, then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Add meat into sauce pan, stir to coat evenly.

You can easily make this ahead of time. Simply store barbecue meat in airtight container and refrigerate. When you're ready to eat, reheat on medium low heat or microwave on 80% power until hot. Divide barbecue meat among buns and serve immediately.

I'm serving these tasty sandwiches with a side of chips, bread-n-butter pickles and there's leftover chocolate pie in the frig.
Mmm, I can't wait!

Classic and Simple Sloppy Joes

The kiddos love this quick, delicious Sloppy Joes recipe.  It has all the classic flavors that we grew up craving.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED FOR SLOPPY JOES

• 3 cups precooked ground beef
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt to taste
• 2-3 dashes Tabasco
• 6 hamburger buns, toasted

Cook over medium heat all the ingredients, excepts the buns, 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thicken.  Remove from heat, allow to set for a few minutes before serving.

If you have them, heat up some Tater Tots in the oven while you're cooking the Sloppy Joes.  They should finish up about the same time.

Enjoy!