No Soup for You!

With the cold temperatures that we've been having lately we have been inspired to eat lots of warm, homemade soup. Here's what we've made this week - some great recipes for you to try out!

Taco Soup (recipe given to me by my sister-in-law Jody)

French Onion Soup from America's Test Kitchen. If you don't have their cookbook you are REALLY missing out (just a *little* better than your Bisquick cookbook, E ;). By far my favorite cookbook in my collection. They have excellent tips and techniques and the food turns out perfect every time - the recipes are tried and true! Usually available at Costco this time of year if you need a gift idea....

Jared made me a big batch of America's Test Kitchen Creamy Tomato Soup (recipe below) and froze it so I'll have something to eat while he is out of town. What a sweet guy! He also made their Turkey Soup this week - so I guess that puts us at FOUR soups for the week (and it's only Thursday).

Creamy Tomato Soup

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 (28-oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained with 3 cups of juice reserved
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt, pepper, & cayenne pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the drained tomatoes, onion, brown sugar, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the tomatoes begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the broth and the reserved tomato juice, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Puree about 3/4 of the soup in a blender or food processor (I use the immersion blender) until smooth.

3. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir into remaining soup, and stir in the cream. Bring to a brief simmer, then remove from heat. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste before serving.

You could easily do without the cream in this recipe though it does add a nice richness to the soup. This recipe is also one of Anthony's favorites.

Next on my list to try is the Minestrone from Williams Sonoma Italian Favorites....this is also one of my favorite cookbooks. This cookbook has an excellent selection of both traditional and modern recipes.

Make yourself cozy on these chilly nights and enjoy a bowl of hot soup!