A Pinch of This ... A Smidgen of That: July 2011

We're celebrating CHRISTMAS in JULY and cooking with RED and GREEN veggies and herbs today! Red and green have come to represent the colors of Christmas. We tend to incorporate these colors into our holiday decorating, gift wrapping, and even festive clothing. Green and red cover our Christmas tables and shine from building to building in our decorated cities. When it comes to determining how these colors came to be associated with Christmas, several schools of thought exist. Rather than go into detail here, I'll challenge you to research this on your own by going to these links and finding out why we automatically think, "red and green" when we think "the colors of Christmas." Check out these sites: http://www.suite101.com/content/the-origin-of-christmas-colors-a72109

Also: http://www.christmaslore.com/the_true_meaning_behind_the_christmas_colors.html

While you may not be dreaming of snow, Santa Claus, and Christmas-y reds and greens in all this heat, you might enJOY at least pretending the temperature is bearable while you flip through a new cookbook and plan to try some cool new recipes.

A few weeks ago I received notification that I was "this week's winner for the Foodie Blogroll 'Spread the Word & Comment to Win 'Simply Sugar and Gluten Free' Cookbook' contest! (I was sooooooo excited, because I NEVER win anything! Ever!) As the winner, I received two copies of the book Simply Sugar and Gluten Free by Amy Green. One copy, I can keep, and the other, I was told I could give away on my blog. Here's what it looks like:

So, after the books arrived, I read through my copy and chose a recipe to share with you. I think it's a keeper for sure! I've made it twice already, and let me tell you, not a drop was wasted. The recipe, "Basil Tomato Soup," is on page 58, and I want to share it with you today. Anyone who leaves a comment below (after the recipe) will be entered into a drawing to win the extra copy of "Simply Sugar and Gluten Free" by Amy Green---so don't forget to leave your two-cents! The contest ENDS on July 31 at midnight. I'll post the winner's name on the blog on August 1.

You're going to love this soup! I've eaten it cold---sipping it from a mug---and, I've eaten it hot along with some corn fritters, and it was delicious both ways. So, let's get started! Go gather the ingredients and I'll meet you back here!

BASIL TOMATO SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

Now, don't panic on me! I know that looks like a lot, but it really isn't! Hang on!

Melt the butter and heat the oil in a 6-quart heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat.

Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, until fragrant. (This smells sooooo good!)

Add the broth ...

... and the tomatoes (the recipe calls for "seeded" but I didn't have that... The blender pretty much takes care of the seeds anyway :-). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

While your soup simmers for about 10 minutes, gather some fresh basil and chop it fine. This will add the pretty Christmas-y GREEN flecks and yummy flavor to the soup. You'll need about 3 T., plus a little extra, if you plan to use some for garnish. This smells soooooo good when you're chopping it.

After about 10 minutes, add 3 T. basil and 1/8 tsp. cinnamon and simmer for 10 minutes longer, until the tomatoes and onions are very tender.

Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender or food processor.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill a bowl or mug and enJOY! So YUMMY! (I had my first bowl with corn fritters on the side, but crackers would be a good addition, too. I've also enJOYed it with a Reuben sandwich, as well as all by itself, cold from a mug. All were very good.)

BASIL TOMATO SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. unsalted butter

2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, grated fine or minced
4 c. chicken broth
2 (28-oz.) cans peeled whole plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 T chopped fresh basil, plus extra, if desired for garnish
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter and heat the oil in a 6-quart heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, until fragrant.

Add the broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then add 3 T. basil and cinnamon and simmer for 10 minutes longer, until the tomatoes and onions are very tender. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This soup can be served hot or chilled. Garnish with the extra basil before serving.

Make It Dairy-Free: Eliminate the butter and increase the oil to 3 Tablespoons.

Make It Vegan: Eliminate the butter and increase the oil to 3 Tablespoons. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Quick Tip: Basil chiffonade makes a beautiful garnish. Chiffonade actually refers to a method of cutting herbs. It's very simple---just tightly roll several basil leaves together lengthwise and cut at an angle into thin strips. Use a very sharp chef's knife for best results.

If you enJOY the taste of fresh basil, try planting some in a pot and keeping it on your porch. It's not only pretty, but you reap the benefits when you use it in your recipes!

It doesn't take much to grow a few fresh tomatoes (well, that's what I used to think, until this year and our garden has NOT produced much at all in the way of tomatoes). Hopefully, your garden has received more rain than ours and has done well at providing your family with some great produce. Nothing tastes better than fresh, home-grown tomatoes!