Fall Tuscan Tomato Soup

This is the best time of year to make homemade tomato soup.  Fresh homegrown tomatoes, basil and onions.  You can't get any closer to "from farm to table", then this recipe.  I doubled the recipe so I could freeze it and enjoy it throughout the fall (just be sure to freeze in batches so you don't have to refreeze leftovers again).

Pair this soup up with a nice, gooey, cheesy grilled cheese sandwich and you have a hearty meal.  If you'd rather keep in on the lighter side, add a small side salad or add a fruit compote (even easier, open a can of fruit).

Pair this with Gordy's wine selection of the month and you're all set.  Enjoy!

6-8 slices French bread, 1 inch thick
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then diced (see note)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or prepared broth
1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves, plus 6-8 whole leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.   Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, turning once, 10-15 minutes total.  Set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil.  Add the onion and saute', stirring frequently, until softened, 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and stock, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the tomatoes are softened, about 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches, leaving a little bit of texture if desired, and return the soup to the pot.  Alternatively, process with a handheld blender in the pot until the desired consistency is reached.  Return the soup to medium heat and reheat gently,  Add the chopped basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a slice of toasted bread in the bottom of each warmed bowl and sprinkle with a spoonful of Parmesan cheese. Ladle the soup on top and garnish with a basil leaf.  Serve immediately. Serves 6-8.


NOTES
**Peeling and seeding tomatoes (easy) - Select tomatoes that are fully ripened and slightly soft to the touch.  To peel and seed them fill a saucepan three-fourths full of water and bring to a boil.  Using a sharp knife, score an X in the blossom end (bottom) of each tomato.  In batches, without crowding, immerse the tomatoes in the boiling water and leave for 15-30 seconds, or until the skins just begin to wrinkle. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, let cool slightly, then peel away the skins.  Cut in half crosswise and squeeze gently to dislodge the seeds.

**I added a little sugar to the soup to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.

**For a creamier, richer soup, add a little half and half to your desired taste.

Prosciutto-Wrapped  Pork Tenderloin with Herb Pan Sauce

This is a quick, easy 30 minute meal that feeds 4 to 6. Add some rosemary mashed potatoes and a fresh fruit compote, and you have a healthy, awesome tasting meal.  Pork is so versatile.  Cook it inside, cook it outside, add a heavy side dish during winter months, or a nice cool crisp salad or fruit during summer months. Spice it up, or add just a little salt and pepper.  Really, whatever you want to do will work.

2 (12-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed

                Salt and Pepper

6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup lemon juice (2 lemons)

3 Tablespoons minced fresh chives 
 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Pat tenderloins dry with   paper towels and season with pepper. Wrap each tenderloin with Prosciutto.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Cook pork until browned on all sides.  5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer meat to wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until meat registers 145 degrees.  15 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in now-empty skilled over medium heat until simmering. Add flour, garlic, and thyme and cook. Stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and lemon juice and cook. Scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.  Off heat, add chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Slice pork and serve with sauce.

 

Tip:  You will need 4 to 6 slices of prosciutto per tenderloin.

ROAST PRIME RIB OF BEEF WITH HORSERADISH CRUST

I've never cooked a Prime Rib before for 2 reasons.  Usually they are way too big for our needs, and I didn't want to ruin a very expensive piece of meat. Now I wish I had done it a long time ago.  It's really SO simple.  Just ask your butcher to cut the size you need (they are happy to do it), and follow the directions.  I have to admit, I was sweating the whole time worried I would overcook the meat. It came out perfectly.  Add a creamy Au Gratin Potato casserole and a side dish of Broccoli and you have a wonderful meal.  Be sure to check out Gordy's wine blog,

http://gordy-wine-in-omaha.blogspot.com/ for a perfect pairing for this elegent dinner.

 

Ingredients
1 bone in prime rib beef roast, 3 ribs, about 6 pounds
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 cup grated fresh or prepared horseradish
Leaves from 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the beef in a large roasting pan with the bone side down. (The ribs act as a natural roasting rack.)  In a small bowl mash together the garlic, horseradish, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make a past.  Massage the paste generously over the entire roast.  Put the pan in the oven and roast the beef until the internal temperature of the meat registers 125 degree F on an instant read thermometer (medium rare), 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Remove the beef to a carving board and let it rest for 20 minutes (very important) before carving.

Note:  6 lbs. was too much for us so I bought a 2 lb. roast, without bones. I also only made half of the horseradish crust.  I cooked the roast for about 25 minutes per pound and it came out perfectly.  Once your thermometer reads 120 degrees, watch it very closely because it will jump to 125 very quickly.  It's very important that you let it rest for the 20 minutes.

PENNE   ALFIO

Wow!  This is such a great meal that’s so easy to prepare yet seems so elegant.  This is the perfect time of year to use fresh ingredients.  I picked the oregano, thyme and basil from the pots on my back deck. The red pepper flakes I received from my sister in law who grew the peppers last year and dried them.  Fresh ingredients just make everything pop. 

This recipe was so easy to throw together. Add a wonderful salad and maybe a little garlic cheese bread and you have it made. Be sure to check out Gordy’s wine blog at http://gordy-wine-in-omaha.blogspot.com/ to find out what wine matches perfectly with this pasta dish.

PENNE ALFIO

Serves 4

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. basil

2 ounces sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts packed in water, chopped into bite size pieces

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

1 (12 oz.) box penne pasta

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large skillet heat oil and add chicken and garlic.  Brown chicken, then add salt, red pepper, oregano, thyme and basil. Stir until fragrant, for about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, artichokes and broth.  Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Spoon sauce over pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

CHILE-HONEY GLAZED SALMON

I don’t know about you, but weeknights can be hectic.  Yet, I love to cook and try new recipes, so I’m always looking for great new entrée’s that won’t take hours to prepare, yet taste like they did.

We’re also Salmon lovers in our house, and they are so easy to prepare.  Keep them healthy by brushing just a little olive oil on them and then salt and pepper, or jazz them up a bit with a fruit salsa, or, make them POP with this Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon recipe.

Enjoy this healthy, refreshing meal.

CHILE-HONEY GLAZED SALMON

·         Four 8-ounce center-cut salmon fillets with skin

·         2 Tbsp. honey

·         1 ½ tsp. pure ancho chile powder

·         1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard

·         Salt and pepper

·         EVOO

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan.  In a small bowl, combine the honey with the ancho chile powder and mustard and season with salt. Brush the salmon with EVOO and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the fish skin side down over moderately high heat until very crisp, about 3 minutes.  Cook the fish on the remaining 3 sides just until lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Brush the salmon with the chile-honey glaze and grill skin side up until lightly caramelized, 2 minutes.

(I prefer a more rare salmon and only cooked it about 2 minutes per side)

Pepper Steak Salad with Mango, Avocado and Jalapeno Vinaigrette

Pepper Steak Ingredients

• 1 to 2 tsps. ground black pepper
• 2 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks (about 8 oz. each), cut 3/4 inch thick

Jalapeno Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 2 to 3 jalapeno peppers
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salad Ingredients

• 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 mango, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/2 small avocado, cut lengthwise into 8 slices
• Salt
• 1 shallot, very thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 2 Tbsp. shaved firm Cotija cheese or Parmesan

Directions
Preheat charcoal grill to medium heat.

Place the jalapeno peppers on grill over medium, ash-covered coals.  Grill uncovered for about 11-13 minutes or until evenly blistered and blackened (you can also broil them in the oven until blackened).  Place in a food safe plastic bag; close bag.  Let stand 10-15 minutes until skins are loosened.

Press black pepper evenly onto beef steaks.  Place steaks on grill over medium, ash covered coals.  Grill, uncovered, 10-12 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.  Remove from grill and let stand while preparing vinaigrette.

Meanwhile prepare Jalapeno Vinaigrette
Remove and discard skins, seeds and membranes from jalapeno peppers.  Place peppers, lime juice, cilantro, water and salt in food processor container (can also use a blender).  Cover and pulse on and off until combined.  With motor running, slowly add oil through opening in cover, processing until well blended.

Arrange salad greens on serving platter.  Fan the mango and avocado slices over greens.

Carve steaks into slices and season with salt, to taste.  Arrange over salad.  Top with shallots and drizzle with vinaigrette.  Sprinkle with cheese.
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Susie's Tips -  Tip #1  This was excellent and a lot easier to make than it looks.  One warning, please adjust jalapeno to your own tastes!  Holy cow!  The first time I made this I think I started our hair on fire.  We used home grown jalapeno's which were quite large, instead of using the smaller store bought ones.  We could hardly eat it.  I would recommend 1 1/2 large jalapeno's from your garden, or 2 small store bought jalapeno's.

Tip #2 -  To prepare on a gas grill, preheat grill for medium heat.  Grill steaks, covered, 7-10 minutes for medium-medium rare, turning occasionally.  Cooking time for jalapeno peppers remains the same.