ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

I find it funny that when you fall in love with someone, and even more so when you marry/live with them, you kind of morph into an unintentional, uni-person at times. The things you eat blend, the lingo or nicknames you have for things become everyday vernacular, you want what they want (for their sake), and circumstances that make them sad, cut you straight to the bone.

I'm the morning person who now consistently finds herself staying up late, and I swear to you we show up places in coordinating outfits that we don't notice until someone teases us. I sound like I've lost all sense of myself, but for serious, I really think it's crazy how much you're influenced when you don't even know it.

I've tried to make a point this year of spending time with people that are positive and encouraging to be around and trying to be the kind of person that someone wouldn't mind being influenced by. That's harder than you'd think, would you believe my language has gotten worse despite said intentions?

I started thinking about this, because both Hugh and I don't care for raw tomatoes. We both love salsa, marinara and roasted tomato soup, but please don't put tomatoes in my salad. But it wasn't always this way, I grew up on raw tomatoes, lots of them, the first half of my life, a 'salad' was routinely tomatoes and cucumbers with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (Mom! I'm so grateful and I love you). We grow up and somehow the way we think or what we eat and the company we keep changes, and I find it pretty phenomenal that we refine ourselves little by little, most of the time without even realizing it. It happens right under our noses. So here I am, some version of myself but mostly a composition of people who have loved and influenced me in one way or another.

So this soup, while easy in preparation and simple in ingredients, is only as good as the tomatoes you use (pay attention, did you catch the life metaphor there?). If you have a local farmer's market, roadside farm stand or grow your own, this is the time to use them. Regardless of them being roasted, the integrity of the tomato stands out. I thought it would be good with some homemade pesto croutons, or some smoked paprika if you want a bit of heat, but it's just as comforting with a slice of crusty bread.

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP // Serve 2 as an entree, 4 as a side

Because it's summer and I prefer things lighter, I honestly did not add any cream. This is your choice. It will take an edge off of the acidity, but I thought a little cheese crostini balanced it out just fine.

1 1/4 lb. Ripe Tomatoes (about 4 Large Tomatoes)

1/2 Medium Yellow Onion

3 Garlic Cloves

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp. Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

1 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley

1 1/2 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable or Chicken Broth

1 Tbsp. Organic Tomato Paste

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half, optional

Fresh Oregano + Basil for garnish

Fresh Grainy Bread

Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350'. Cut the tomatoes and the half of an onion into wedges. Use your finger to push out some of the seedy parts of the tomatoes, but this is not a huge deal, just get out the big seedy parts, a bit intact is fine. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the chopped parsley and gently toss it with your hands. Tuck the garlic cloves somewhere in a tomato, so they don't burn. Roast on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and reduced to about half their size. Remove and cool slightly.

2. Warm the broth and stir in the tomato paste to dissolve. Add the all of the ingredients from the roasting pan into the broth and let it gently simmer for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the bowl, or with a food processor or blender. The soup should be smooth, with some texture. If you don't like any texture at all, you could run it through a fine mesh sieve. Return it back to the pot, and add the cream to taste, if using. Taste for salt and pepper.

3. Serve with some toasted bread, or broil a few slices with a piece of mozzarella on top. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and oregano.

Sara Forte 2019-02-12

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

4

A simple and delicious roasted tomato soup with garlic and onion.

• 1 1/4 lb. Ripe Tomatoes (about 4 Large Tomatoes)
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley
• 1 1/2 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable or Chicken Broth
• 1 Tbsp. Organic Tomato Paste
• 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half, optional
• Fresh Oregano + Basil for garnish
• Fresh Grainy Bread

93 calories6 grams fat10 grams carbohydrate3 grams protein

Preheat the oven to 350'. Cut the tomatoes and the half of an onion into wedges. Use your finger to push out some of the seedy parts of the tomatoes, but this is not a huge deal, just get out the big seedy parts, a bit intact is fine. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the chopped parsley and gently toss it with your hands. Tuck the garlic cloves somewhere in a tomato, so they don't burn. Roast on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and reduced to about half their size. Remove and cool slightly.

Warm the broth and stir in the tomato paste to dissolve. Add the all of the ingredients from the roasting pan into the broth and let it gently simmer for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the bowl, or with a food processor or blender. The soup should be smooth, with some texture. If you don't like any texture at all, you could run it through a fine mesh sieve. Return it back to the pot, and add the cream to taste, if using. Taste for salt and pepper.

Serve with some toasted bread, or broil a few slices with a piece of mozzarella on top. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and oregano.

PT15M

PT45M

PT1H

American

Entrée

vegetarian, soup, gluten free

BAKED BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

May is always a crazy month. We have half a dozen birthdays in our family, Mother's Day, bridal shower season, while I took on a part time job and a freelance deal, as well. Sometimes having more tasks helps you to manage your time better... at least I'm telling myself that is some proven theory. I'm honestly a bit spent on creativity at the moment, which ebs and flows for me, so I'm taking a few days to edit through the recipes I already have for the book. For your sake, edit out my ramblings mid-recipe or cut unnecessary descriptive words like "smooshy."

I made this baked oatmeal for a picnic with friends, and next time I host a brunch, these will be part of a larger spread. They would be great to make ahead of time and grab on your way out the door in the morning, too (although I am a proponent of sitting at a table for breakfast, even if you have to get up earlier, I know that's not always practical). Maybe even do raspberries and pistachios and replace the milk with coconut milk. The baked oatmeal world is your oyster.

BAKED BLUEBERRY OATMEAL // Serves 6

Adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

I used frozen blueberries because I had them, but I think that contributed to them coming out purple/gray color after baking. I'd suggest using fresh berries if you can.

You can see the original recipe at Lottie +Doof.

2 Cups Blueberries, plus extra for garnish

2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Aluminum Free Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

2 Cups Whole Milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Melted Butter

1/3 - 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Toasted Chopped Almonds

1/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375'. Divide the berries between six small mason jars.

2. Mix the oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Divide the dry mix between the jars, just layering on top of the blueberries, about 1/3 cup.

3. Mix the milk, butter, maple and vanilla together. Pour a scant 1/2 cup on top of the oats, letting it seep through to the bottom. Place all the jars in a baking dish, sprinkle a few fresh berries on top, and bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes until the liquid is absorbed, tops are just browned but the oats are still moist.

Sprinkle the tops with the toasted almonds and a pinch of turbinado sugar and serve warm!

* I poured a bit of extra milk on mine and Hugh preferred more maple, so adjust as you prefer.

If you are going to be reheating them, I suggest undercooking them 5-8 minutes to avoid dry oatmeal. Keep the nuts on the side until ready to eat.

MUSHROOM + POBLANO TART IN CORNMEAL CRUST

Sometimes I make things that sound good to me, and though I'm not sure they appeal to the masses, I go forth with the idea. I put hummus on my eggs, spread greek yogurt on my toast and am aware these habits aren't normal. Like last weeks quesadilla, it raised a few eyebrows, but some of you made it and liked it! Thanks for not making me feel nuts. This recipe is a culmination of inspiration - a crust from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals and a twist on a frittata I saw in Bon Appetite this past month. It's sort of like frittata meets mexican quiche meets breakfast casserole... or something. All to say, this versatile tart could easily pass for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Also, I wanted to direct you over to the Saveur site, where we were nominated for 2011 Best Cooking Blog! I am beyond flattered to be included amongst all that talented company, as each of them are bloggers I have long admired. You do have to register to vote, but they will not send you a bunch of spam. Thanks to those of you who believe I deserved to be there in the first place :)

MUSHROOM + POBLANO TART

Inspired by Bon Appetit May 2011 and Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck

The crust does not rise, so adjust the thickness as you prefer. Next time I may make it in an 8'' square and bulk up the filling amounts a bit. Maria did not suggest cooking it before adding filling, but mine seemed pretty moist and I made a completely different filling than her recipe, so I found this step necessary. Just keep an eye on it in the oven, it doesn't need to fully firm up, but you don't want it smushy. The crust can be made a day in advance to save time.

1 Cup Vegetable Broth

1 Cup Water

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

3/4 Cup Polenta or Corn Grits

1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 Egg

Fresh Ground Pepper

Filling

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Cups Thinly Sliced Mushrooms (I used Crimini but Button will work as well)

1 Small Poblano Pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced thin

5 Eggs

3/4 Cup Milk (Whole or 2%)

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

1/4 tsp. Cumin

1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

2 Scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 Cup Feta Cheese, plus more for garnish

Chopped Cilantro

Tapatio or Hot Sauce of choice

1. Bring the broth, water and salt to a boil. Slowly pour in the polenta and continue to stir. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir every two minutes to prevent the bottom from burning. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, another 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese, egg and lots of fresh ground pepper. It should be thick. Allow it to settle another 10 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 9'' pie plate. Transfer the polenta to the pie plate and using wet fingers, press to form a crust in an even layer on the bottom and up the sides. If you would like a thinner crust, set some of the polenta aside. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the tart.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and poblanos and saute for 10 minutes until both are softened and the moisture has been absorbed. Turn off the heat.

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cumin and black pepper together until well combined. Stir in the scallions and the vegetables. Add the egg mixture into the cornmeal crust, sprinkle the feta cheese on top and bake another 20 minutes until the center is just set.

Let it rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with crumbled feta, chopped cilantro and hot sauce on the side.