Tomato Soup

Can you tell it is autumn?

I got a 4lb bag of tomatos for $2.  :)

I started with the recipe here and the final product is as follows. 

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (1 onion)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) (I used the dried equivalent for 3 cloves -- 3/4 t.)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (I cut them in half)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1 1/2 T dried basil (or 1/4 c fresh)
3 cups chicken broth (I made mine from bouillon)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and celery and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken vroth, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.


Process in blender or with immersion blender (or... or...).  Make sure you really process well or the skins will be annoying.  Add cream and warm.

Butternut Squash Soup

Courtesy of Anne Stahl.

About twice a year, I wish I had an immersion blender.  This is one of those times.....But the blender did work (be careful!).

1 lg onion (diced)
2 med butternut squash (cubed)
1/2 stick butter (probably could use less)
3 cans or 1 box chicken stock (I used homemade broth and then rounded it out with some broth from bouillon)
8 oz cream cheese (probably could use less; I used light)
salt & pepper to taste

Oh, and it was brilliant with broccoli in it. 

Saute onion in butter.  Add squash and cover with stock.  Boil til fork tender (< 20 min).  Puree until smooth.  Add cream cheese and blend til fully incorporated.