Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I’m posting this Tomato Soup recipe from last year again, because even though it’s a hot soup, which we may not want in Summer, and the recipe uses canned tomatoes, it’s a great use for fresh tomatoes if you have a ‘bumper crop’. It’s also a wonderful starter for any season: light and bright – not a heavy creamy soup; and you might like it as a lighter change for the soup course even at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The original recipe comes from 'The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook', by John Shields (highly recommended!) but I've goofed-around with it a bit. I leave out the sugar, because I like a really tart tomato soup - and I usually throw in a lot of dried basil, instead of using thyme or fresh basil. (Now that I’ve got my year-round basil via Aerogarden, that may change.)

Making this is a bit of work, and you do need a food mill to do it properly; but it’s worth it - and it freezes well.

Deal Island Summer Tomato Soup

1 C. Butter, or Olive Oil (I usually use half butter, half oil)

3 green bell peppers, diced

2 C. diced onions

2 C. diced Celery

2 T. chopped Garlic (opt.)

3 C. water

4 lbs. Tomatoes, Peeled and Cored; or Canned (I usually use a big ol' can of tomatoes from Costco.)

4 tsps. Sugar (or less, or opt.)

2 tsps. Salt

2 Bay leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme, or 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground Nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper

Garlic Croutons

Melt butter or heat oil in soup pot. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes.

Add water, bring to boil, then simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, sugar (if used), salt, bay leaves, thyme and nutmeg. Simmer 45 minutes.

Pass soup through food mill. Return to pot and reheat. Adjust seasonings. Serve topped with freshly ground pepper and croutons.

(We usually double this recipe.)

Lately, while roaming around on YouTube, I’ve often seen recipes for ‘7-Up Biscuits’. I had never heard of this, and made the mistake of using a recipe that was NOT a good one last weekend. The result was a mixed success – the batter came out so runny that I had to just pour it into an oblong pan and bake it like Corn Bread. It was very tasty – but not biscuits ;-)

I did retroactive research, and found that my recipe used half as much of the biscuit mix as necessary. I learned my lesson! and my wild birds are getting a special treat this week ;-)

Here, from 'Angie's Southern Kitchen', is a recipe with the right proportions:

http://www.angiessouthernkitchen.com/2012/06/7-up-biscuits/

Earlier this week, Freeper Covenantor showed us a wonderful pie using apple roses; and whimsically suggested Bacon Roses, for which we actually found a recipe. And while I don’t think that ‘bacon roses’ are something I’d actually make, it reminded me of something I used to make for kids’ stockings at Christmas: Dollar Bill Roses:

'Thrifty Fun' has the instructions for crafting them:

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67951187.tip.html

-JT

[pugmama]

This is a great site. Such wonderful photography and great sounding recipes.

http://adventuresincooking.com/?s=tomatoes

[Jamestown1630]

Gorgeous pictures; and a recipe for Tortilla Soup that looks very good:

http://adventuresincooking.com/2015/12/tortilla-soup.html

[bgill]

Made your casserole for supper last night and had more for breakfast. Thanks, easy way to use up zukes.

[Twotone]

I’m glad you liked it. It’s always nice to find a new recipe. And one that is Atkins friendly & uses up zucchinis is an especial find! ;-)

[pugmama]

I made a lot of this last year and am doing it again this year. I did reduce the amt of sugar/maple syrup in it for our taste.

http://www.closetcooking.com/2014/08/slow-roasted-tomato-bacon-jam.html

[pugmama]

We grew green okra this year and I made this salad. We loved it.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/the-ultimate-summer-tomato-salad

[Jamestown1630]

bgill told me about fried okra this week, and I’m going to try that as my first foray into okra.

[pugmama]

I grilled some as well and it was delicious. I added some olive oil and spices. Yum!

[ConservaTeen]

I might have that soup tomorrow... it sounds delicious...

[Liz]

Valerie made this on her program. If you cant have too many lemon
cake recipes, you'll love this one---and all the interesting ingredients.

LEMON LOVE CAKE

ING 16.5-ounce pkg lemon cake MIX, zested and juiced lemon, 32-ounce container part-skim ricotta, 2-8 oz containers mascarpone, 4 large eggs, 3/4 cup sugar teaspoon vanilla, cup whole milk, 3.4-ounce package lemon instant pudding mix, such as Jell-O

PREP cake mix according to pkg, then add 2 tb l/juice. Pour batter into greased/floured 13-by-9-inch baker; set aside.

TOPPING Elec/mixer smooth on med-lo ricotta, lemon zest and 4 oz mascarpone. Add sugar and vanilla; beat smooth. Add eggs, singly, beating in each til just combined.

FINAL Gently spread ricotta mixture evenly over batter. Bake three-fifty deg 50-60 min; cake layer rises to the top (ricotta and cake layers switch places); pick test in center comes out clean. Cool completely 30 min. Ice cooled cake.

ICING Elec/mixer/beat smooth on med 12 oz mascarpone. Gradually add milk, beating until smooth. Add pudding mix; beat smooth. Let stand til thickened 5 min.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

I just got done gorging myself on peaches off my tree. It was 106° here today and it cooled down to 100° so I started eating them. That is how I love them. Hot off the tree. I don’t care for pies or cobbler. Just right off the tree especially on a hot evening like this.

[MomwithHope]

Hey I just came up with something. Had some tilapia in the freezer and thought I would make a fish taco for lunch. I usually saute, add some Ken’s Asian sesame dressing, some broccoli slaw - raw, on a flour tortilla. Had no broccoli slaw but I just made gazpacho (moosewood cookbook recipe). so I spooned some of the veg not a lot of the broth and there you go - gazpacho taco. Tasted great.

[Jamestown1630]

Fish tacos sound very good; I’ve seen lots of recipes on TV but never made them.

Speaking of fish, for the last few days I’ve been mesmerized by this live webcam from Katmai National Park in Alaska - the salmon are migrating, and you can watch the bears ‘fishing’; they just look like they’re having such a good time in the water. The camera changes periodically, so you see different areas, and often closeups of the bears:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCP97SY0pMI

[Liz]

An inventive cook, to be sure......

Ken’s dressings are great.

[MomwithHope]

I’ve watched those bears!

[cherry]

yum...

[Jamestown1630]

I don’t know what it is, but on Sunday it was a really beautiful day, and I felt I was right there in the water with them - been addicted ever since - and I’m not even a great fan of bears, as animals go ;-)

[MomwithHope]

If it’s the same video I’m thinking of, the parent web site has other animal cams too.

[MomwithHope]

Just checked, it’s the same one. If you haven’t checked out the parent website please do, www.explore.org. Lots of good stuff

[Jamestown1630]

Yes, Explore.org.