Roasted Tomato - Vegetable Soup

Sometimes I get an idea for a recipe and it meets or exceeds my expectations. This was one o.f those times ☺️ It's not an exact recipe though, more just a photo illustration.

I had to slow-roast everything since I could not figure out how to get the oven temperature higher or lower than 350° on this fancy oven where I'm currently staying, here in Arizona.

I lost track of the time it took to get everything roasted properly, but as usually the carrots are the last to soften, so they were my guide. At that temperature, I'd guess the process took around an hour and a half, give or take a bit.

First scrub everything, then cut it all into big or medium chunks. Toss it all together in a big soup pot with a generous amount of good quality -single source- EVOO, a bit of garlic salt, lots of black pepper and whatever seasoning or herb blend you choose. 

Pour that onto a big sheet pan and roast until the carrots cooperate. Cool all this slightly, peel the tomatoes if you can, then put everything into a blender jar.

Pulse until rough-chunky or all the way to baby-food-smooth, whatever your preference for this particular soup happens to be today. Mine here isn't chunky but also not smooth, somewhere -just right- in the middle.

Pour this into that same big pot again. Rinse the pan and blender jar and add this water to the pot. Heat it to a simmer, taste and make any corrections in texture, viscosity and seasonings. More of everything? More water? Chicken soup base? Want it dairy free -?- then serve it now. 

If you want it a bit softer, and appreciate dairy, add heavy cream or a big spoonful of sour cream, just a little at a time until you get it right. Stir gently to combine everything and heat it back to a simmer before serving.

I had this with a piece of Cloud Bread and a fresh green side salad. . .Mmmm. Remember. . .it's always soup season. . .Even here in Arizona with the outside temperature at 91° . . 🥰 . . Lin

A Make-Ahead Shrimp Scampi

I'm not always a fan of cooking right up until the time my guests arrive. This is one way of avoiding the last minute hassle, yet still making something really yummy with lots of time to breathe, and relax with people I love. An added benefit of making anything-pasta ahead of time - cooking, chilling then reheating - creates what's known as resistant starch. A very health technique. (this applies to all other starches as well, ie.: potatoes, rice, cooked cereal, starchy vegetables. . .)

Begin by cooking 8oz. of angel hair pasta, only until about half done. Drain, rinse then let stand in ice water a few minutes before draining again. In a small wok or frying pan, cook and stir together:

1/2 stick butter

2/3c each: chopped green and red bell pepper

10oz. sliced mushrooms

1 med. onion

Lowry's Garlic Salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper

When the vegetables are almost done, add the zest and juice of 1/2 big lemon and 14oz. jumbo Wild Caught shrimp, cut into smaller pieces. Increase heat and stir all of this only until the shrimp are about half way cooked.

Cool slightly then add the sauce -sorry no pics- I wasn't planning to blog this recipe. It turned out so well though, I wanted it here for future reference. For the sauce, whisk together:

12oz. sour cream
12oz. Sonoma lemon-herb-ricotta pasta sauce (Costco)
1/2c Sherry cooking wine

Check flavor, add more of the above seasonings, some dry dill -and- a pinch of sugar, if you'd like, to reduce the acidity a bit.

Layer the pasta, then vegetables and shrimp twice, adding half the sauce to each and folding everything together gently.

When ready to serve, reheat on 60-70% in the microwave, until everything is steamy. 

Serve with crusty garlic bread and a simple green salad. . .Lin

Crawfish and Shrimp Bisque

Chop this group of vegetables then sauté until translucent.

2 onions

3 big ribs of celery

1/2 orange bell pepper

1 stick of butter

Next add these vegetables, stir and sauté until everything begins to brown, then add the chicken stock.

4 big cloves minced garlic

finely chopped garlic chives

chopped celery tops

a shake of cayenne pepper

1.2t finely ground black pepper

1/2-1t garlic salt

1 quart chicken broth or stock Simmer everything together for 15 minutes. Stir in 2oz. of golden or light brown roux, then blend with an immersion blender*

Bring this to a simmer for just a few minutes. It should thicken a little. Stir in:

12oz. rough chopped crawfish meat
6oz. cut up cooked shrimp
*If you want the crawfish and shrimp blended, add them now. I decided to keep the seafood a little more chunky this time, but it's good both ways.

Simmer just a few minutes to warm everything up and bring all the flavors together. Stir in:

1/3c sherry cooking wine

Cool to room temperature then whisk in:

1c sour cream

Check the flavors, then bring it back to a quick simmer before serving. This goes well with some crusty bread or oyster crackers. . .Lin

Roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup II

This has been sounding really good to me lately. Finally it seems life has slowed down, for the next few hours at least, so I can cut, drizzle, season and roast! Wash, dry and rough cut the following vegetables onto one or two baking sheets.

2¾# tomatoes

2 big carrot

1 lg. yellow bell pepper

2 lg. stalks celery

1 lg. purple onion

LOTS of peeled garlic cloves

Greek Kalamata Olive EVOO

Lowry's Garlic Salt w/ Parsley

Italian Seasoning

black pepper

Drizzle the olive oil over everything. Season, then roast in a preheated 400° oven for 20-30 minutes. Everything but the tomatoes was done in

When they're browned or charred the way you want, let them cool a bit, then pull the tomato skins off, if they slip off easily. Put all the vegetables in a big stock pot.

1/3c ± dark, aged Balsamic vinegar
2-3T Better Than Bouillon-chicken

Drizzle the vinegar over them and put the pot on medium heat. When the vegetables heat, to just barely simmering, stir, then add enough chicken or vegetable broth-stock, 1-2 quarts or so.

Bring this up to a low-bubbly simmer. Cover and continue to simmer a half hour.

Take off the heat and let cool a bit before blending it with a standard, or immersion blender. Check the seasonings and make any additions or corrections.

If you want to add half and half, heavy cream or sour cream, do this when the soup has cooled to body or room temperature. Whisk it in and heat again.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of dill, grated flavorful cheese, some nuts or seeds sprinkled on top - any or all of these. Obviously this would pair great with a grilled cheese sandwich or some crusty garlic bread. 

Chill or freeze for later. . .Lin

Crunchy Spinach and Artichoke Pesto Pasta

As usual, I made waaay too much pasta for the previous pasta salad. 

There was 2c leftover, which I almost pitched, then decided I'd add play around with ingredients and ended up with yet another pasta salad. This could also be a quick Mac & Cheese or added to soup or chili.

2c al denté cooked pasta - cooled

1c shredded Mexican blend cheese

1/2 small jar, 3-4oz., of basil pesto

1/4 red bell pepper

1/4 med sweet onion

1/4c ± Lemon-EVOO Dressing

garlic salt and black pepper

This happened in no time and was a nice surprise! Good for the meatless people in your life. For additional crunch and protein, add some roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds — AND — it would also be good served warm, or hot. . .Lin

Gluten Free Gyro -Lamb and Beef- Stroganoff

Cook 6-8oz. gluten free, corn and rice spaghetti pasta, to al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water until it's no longer hot or warm. Leave it in a colander or strainer until fully drained. Chop-slice the following and sauté until lightly browned:

1 sm. yellow onion

1/4 lg. red bell pepper

3-4 lg. cloves of garlic

8 oz. baby portabella mushrooms

2-3T single source EVOO

Combine the pasta and sautéed vegetables in a small roasting pan. Sauté lamb-beef Gyro meat in some EVOO until sizzling and lightly browned, then add to the pasta and vegetables.

10-12 oz. frozen Gyro meat cut in bite size pieces

Whisk together the following and pour over everything:

1/3 - 1/2 c warm-hot water

2-3T Better Than Bouillon - beef

1c or a little more full fat sour cream

fresh ground black pepper

cayenne pepper

garlic salt

Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve with a fresh mixed green salad. . .Lin

Beefy Mole-Type Chili with Corn and Beans. . .

I should call this Progressive Chili or maybe. . .A Chili Evolution! 

This was a time-intensive process, taking several hours. Perfect for this snowy, wintery day! It turned out so well, but this first ingredient photo doesn't show everything that actually ended up in the pot. So if you're planning to make this, use this ingredient list. Also, I did NOT use the jar of chunky vegetable pasta sauce.

2# good quality beef steak

1/2 small minced onion

2 big carrots VERY FINELY chopped

garlic salt - fresh ground black pepper

1T smokey ground cumin

3T single source EVOO 

I almost felt like A Real Chef today, with my Pike Place Market apron; from one of my many trips, long ago; in the Seattle area! It seems every time I cook something with a dark sauce, I end up with splatters all over my tops! 

Cut all the fat off the meat. Slice then chop it into 1/2" cubes. Combine everything in a 6 quart pot. Stir and sauté' until browning. Measure out 1-1/2c fresh, cold water and use a little at a time to 'deglaze' everything in the pot just before it begins to stick. Continue this process until all the water is gone. While this is simmering, rough chop all the vegetables and finely chop the poblano pepper. Add them to the pot, stir, cover and let them simmer about 5 minutes, adding just enough water to keep them from sticking if needed. Then add the tomatoes.

1-1/2 med. yellow onions

1 yellow bell pepper

a 5 or 6 stalk celery heart

1/3 lg. poblano pepper

28oz. can diced tomatoes and juice

Continue to simmer all this covered, for about a half hour, on low heat. Next add the chili beans and chili gravy in the can. Drain and rinse the rest of these before adding to the pot:

1 can cannellini beans

1 can garbanzo beans

2 cans black beans

3 cans corn

1T brown sugar

2t chili powder

2 cinnamon sticks

12 semisweet chocolate chips

Stir gently, then simmer all this together on low heat, covered. You can serve this now, but it would be even better if chilled thoroughly and reheated later. I think this pot is at least 6 quarts, and it's totally full. Have I mentioned how much I love soup, stew and chili season . . ☺️ . . Lin

Crunchy Cowboy Caviar Salad

Dressing:

1/2c white balsamic vinegar

1c single source EVOO

juice of 1/2 lemon 

1t pure cane sugar

1/2t each: salt and pepper

Combine these in a jar with a top and shake well.

Salad:

1 15oz. can black beans

1 15oz. can corn

Drain both cans. Rinse the beans well, drain again, then combine with the following chopped vegetables in a medium size bowl.

2 peeled Bay Produce tomatoes

1/4 lg. orange pepper

1/4 lg. green pepper

2 stalks celery

1/2c-2/3c purple onion

1 lg. clove crushed, minced garlic

1/2 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley

6-8oz. Manchego cheese cut in small cubes

Toss, pour on enough dressing to coat everything well. I used a little less than half of the bottle. Cover the bowl and chill a couple hours.  This will keep well for several
days in the 'fridge. Toss again before serving. . .Lin