One of my goals this year is to try one new recipe a week. I know that might sound silly to some of you out there but cooking something new during the week when you're a mom who works full time is no small feat. By the time you fight traffic, pick up your kid(s) at the babysitter's and climb the steps to your apartment (lugging your bag, plus your kids' bags, plus your kids), you don't normally want to spend another hour or more cooking. Because by then, your kids are usually cranky and so are you.
But, I love (good) food and I want to get better at making it. So here we go. I gave myself a bit of a pass these first few weeks because of our new little Pierce but now that he's two months old I'm running out of excuses.
I figure I can report back on the blog as to how things went. That way you too can expand your dinner menus to include some new vegetarian dishes.
One of my favorite blogs for simple vegetarian finds is
Two Peas & Their Pod. They keep their recipes simple, so you don't usually need some random special ingredients. Maybe I can relate to them because the wife is vegetarian, but the husband is not.
My mother and I tried out their soup while she was in town and I made it again this week (so yes, I'm cheating because this is
not really the first time I've had it -- but, it's the first time I've made it completely on my own). Even Shane likes this soup, and that's saying something because Shane is not a soup guy.
Here's the recipe. It makes a lot (at least for our little fam) so half of it can easily be put into the freezer and reused down the road. The key is definitely in the roasted tomatoes so don't cheat yourself there. It's really great with a crispy panini or some fresh french bread for dipping.
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Yield: Serves 4-6
2 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste, for seasoning tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Dash of red pepper flakes
1 cup freshly chopped basil
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes.
2. In a large stockpot, heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegetable broth. Stir in the oven roasted tomatoes. Cook for about 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
3. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the stockpot, or transfer soup to a food processor or blender to blend. The soup should be smooth, with a few tomato chunks. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve warm.
