Cream of Tomato Soup

I know what you are thinking. It is 90 plus degrees outside and I am making a hot soup! What the hell? Well, this recipe calls for fresh, ripe tomatoes and there is no better time than now to hit up your local famers markets or grocery stores before it is too late. This is a great soup that you can make on a lazy Sunday (because it does take about an hour) and freeze for later. It will be quite the pleasant suprise when you open your freezer this Fall and have this tasty, comforting soup to pair with an amazing grilled cheese.

Source: Barefoot Contessa

You Will Need:

• 3 Tbsp good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
• 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Fresh basil, for serving

Here We Go:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat
• Add the onions and carrots 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 stock, 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
• Add the cream to the soup and process it through a blender or food processor and empty contents back into pot
• Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves

Serves 6
Happy Feasting!

Grilled Cobia with Mango Avocado Salsa

Last weekend my husband was on a bachelor party and they went fishing! He brought home massive amounts of cobia and after freezing as much as I could I took the remaining fish fliets and decided that grilling the fish would be the perfect way to break in our new shiny grill. The great thing about this recipe is that any other flakey white fish would work with this tangy salsa - halibut, tilapia or mahi mahi. The mango, cherry tomato, avocado and fresh basil create the most unique fresh summer flavor. If you don't have a grill, rest assured, you can absolutely cook the fish in the oven.

Source: bon appetit June 2011

You Will Need:

• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice
• 1 medium ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 4 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 6-ounce cobia fillets (or any other white flakey fish)
• 4 lime wedges

Here We Go:

• Prepare a grill to medium-high heat
• Gently combine the avocado, mango, tomatoes, basil, 1 Tbsp oil, and 1 Tbsp lime juice in a large mixing bowl
• Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper and set aside at room temperature, gently tossing occasionally
• Place fish fillets in a 13x9x2" glass baking dish
• Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp lime juice over and season fish with salt and pepper
• Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes, turning fish occasionally
• Brush grill rack with oil and grill fish until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes per side
• Transfer to plates and spoon mango-avocado salsa over fish
• Squeeze a lime wedge over each and serve

Serves 4
Happy Feasting!

Fresh Basil Pesto

I adore fresh basil. I love cooking with it and putting it on anything that I can. It can get pricey which leads a lot of people to use the dried basil found in a pre-packaged spice canister. I definitely used to be one of those people until I had the real thing.  And I can now tell you that it is just not the same! After countless trips to the grocery store to buy fresh basil, I decided that it was time for me to purchase a few basil plants to grow myself. I bought two basil plants, because you can never have enough basil, and one thyme plant. I have had these plants for just over a month and they have already doubled in size...look!

So what do you do with too much basil? You make fresh pesto of course!

You Will Need:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan – Reggiano
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Here We Go:

• Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in food processor or blender
• Add garlic, pulse a few times more
•  Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on
• Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula
• Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended
• Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Makes 1 Cup
Happy Feasting!



Kate's Caprese

It was eighty degrees yesterday and absolutely gorgeous! When the weather feels like this I think your whole mentality changes, including your appetite and cravings. You want to eat something light and fresh and indicative of the season. This past weekend I bought two small basil plants that I hope will eventually turn into bountiful bunches of basil (since it is virtually impossible to find right now..if you have found some please tell me where?). I also found gorgeous vine ripe tomatoes at the grocery store and thought that a summer-esque caprese salad would be perfect. This simple dish has only a few ingredients yet the flavors of those ingredients are so fresh and wonderful.

You Will Need:

• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 vine ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 4 leaves fresh basil, minced

Here We Go:

• Layer tomatoes and mozzarella on small tray or platter
• Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle fresh basil on top
• Season with salt and pepper

Serves 2 as a Side
Happy Feasting!