Spicy Dill Tomato Soup with Garlicky Ricotta Toast

This flavorful tomato soup is quick and easy to make. I opted to add a gluten-free pasta to make the soup a little more substantial since I forgot to buy ingredients for the side that was supposed to accompany the soup. I kind of made up the toast, but it was a really nice addition. Also, the only reason that we have gluten-free pasta (since neither of us have a wheat allergy) is that the bargain basket at the grocery store had the organic gluten free pasta for a third of the price. We simply can't resist a deal! So if you are looking for a quick comforting soup for a cold night, this tomato soup will do the trick!

Origin:

A variation of a recipe from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Serves:

2 Healthy Appetites/4 Small Appetites

Ingredients:

Soup:

• 1 1/2 cups minced onion (you can use less, as I usually do)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp dill weed
• lots of black pepper
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave
• 1 cup uncooked pasta, about 1 1/2 cups cooked (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon fat free mayonnaise or fat free sour cream
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp sliced scallions

Ricotta Spread for Bread:

1/2 cup lowfat ricotta cheese

1 diced Roma tomato

4 cloves soft roasted garlic

black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 tsp lemon juice

Cooking:

1. If you are making pasta to add to the soup, start your water and follow the package directions. I didn't cook my pasta completely as I knew it would simmer in the soup, continuing to cook.

2. Heat your oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan, over medium-high heat. Throw in the onions, garlic, salt, dill, and black pepper. Continue to stir over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until your onions start to become translucent.

3. Add the canned tomatoes, water, and the honey/agave. I use diced tomatoes as I can buy an organic brand relatively inexpensively, which yields a more chunky soup. Crushed or concentrated tomatoes also work great, and they make a much more smooth soup. You can experiment with what you have available to you.

4. Cover your soup and allow it to simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes. Within the final 5 minutes of simmer time, add the pasta, if desired.

5. Just before serving, you can add the tablespoon of fat free mayonnaise or sour cream. This makes the soup just a tiny bit creamier. I've gone without it and it is still tasty, just not as thick and creamy.

6. Add your fresh diced tomatoes, scallions and parsley. Heat for about 5 more minutes and serve.

7. The garlic ricotta spread is pretty easy, especially if you have a terracotta garlic baker and a mini-chopper! Roast your garlic (I throw mine in my garlic baker with a little olive oil and put it in the microwave for a minute. I doesn't give you the delicious browning, but since it is going to be blended into a cheese spread, as long as it is soft, you should be okay.) and then throw all the ingredients into a mini-chopper/food processor. Toast your bread and then spread the mixture on top and toast a little longer.

8. Serve and enjoy.

Notes:

• Mayo/sour cream and the honey are optional
• You can run this through your food processor if you like a smoother tomato soup. I kind of like the chunky texture, but it isn't as refined and fancy. If you are refined and fancy, blend away!
• This was the first time I added pasta to the soup. I had forgotten to put something on the list and knowing Jerry, I knew that tomato soup for dinner wasn't going to be substantial enough, so I figured the gluten-free pasta would help it be a little more filling. It definitely did!

It is hard to go wrong with tomato soup and this yummy version is no exception. Let me know what you think!

-Carly

SOUP-er Carrot-Cheddar Soup

Boy, are you in for a real treat today! This recipe is one that I've been working on for years now. I made it up and have slowly tweaked my ingredients, techniques, and amounts. This soup can be rustic, or refined, it's all up to you. Once, Jerry was very sick and I made two huge pots of this soup in one week because he said it was the only thing he could eat to make him feel better. So, if you are under the weather, or feeling better than ever, this soup is a delicious way to brighten your day! As an added bonus, the left-over soup I find to be even more delicious!

Origin:

My imagination!

Serves:

4

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
• 2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk
• 32 ounces of vegetable stock (more for a thinner soup)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 4 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
• Fresh black pepper

Cooking:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot, over med-high heat. Add the onions, crushed garlic, and ginger to the pot. Cook until the onions are translucent.

2. Add the carrots and celery, stirring for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer the carrots, covered for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. The softer the carrots, the easier they will be to smooth in a food processor. This will be the one time that it shouldn't bother you to have mushy vegetables.

4. Using a large slotted spoon, or basket, drain and separate the carrots, celery onions, and garlic from the broth, placing in your food processor. Add the Greek yogurt at this time. Carefully blend to the desired texture. I typically add some of the broth to the food processor to help with blending.

5. If you are particular about the smoothness of your soup, you may want to put it through a finely meshed sieve.

6. Stir the carrot puree back into the broth, placing on low heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Add lots of black pepper. Heat very gently for about 8 minutes, or until tiny bubbles form at the surface of the soup.

7. Serve in a warmed bowl, with bread for dipping.

Variations:

• I've been using vegetable stock for a while now, but have also used beef and chicken stock successfully.  
• For a little bit tangier soup, use fat-free sour cream instead of the plain Greek yogurt.
• A little tip: Freeze your fresh ginger root! It makes it SO much easier to grate and cuts down on the stringiness. 
• The sharper the cheddar, the better. And, I'm not just saying that because I'm from Vermont! A sharper cheese has a more pungent taste, so you don't use nearly as much! I've tried making this soup with more mild versions of cheddar and it just isn't the same. So, if at all possible, get extra sharp, like Cabot's Hunter's Seriously Sharp Cheddar. 
• I've made this soup with a blender, before I inherited my antique food processor. It works just as well, but you have to blend in small batches, which can be time consuming.
• I started out making this soup using cut, frozen bags of carrots and they work out well, as they take less time to cook. HOWEVER, it is definitely worth the time and effort to use fresh carrots. There is a brightness and sweetness that only comes with fresh carrots. Don't deprive yourself of it!