Fifty-Two Dinners

One new recipe a week for a year. That was the original goal set as a New Year's resolution way back in 2009.

It didn't happen. Nor did it happen in the following years.

But I have continued posting and striving to try one new recipe a week. Some months it happens. Some months it doesn't.

And along the way I've picked up readers from across the country who occasionally pop in to see what's cooking.

Clearly there are better food blogs than mine.

But if you're looking for quick, easy, and healthy with a dash of humor... I'm glad to share what I can.


Thursday, February 28, 2013

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup

So.... you all know that I'm really bad at following directions.  And I didn't have any real garlic Monday night when I was making this soup.  I pretty much use the chopped jarred stuff exclusively.  I can't understand why you'd want to spend all that time peeling and chopping garlic when the stuff in the $5 jar from Casa Italiana is so much easier to use.

But I suppose when your first direction is to "roast the garlic" and the recipe even calls for "roasted" you should probably have some on hand.  I don't, I skipped that step and roasted just the onion.  And it was fine.  Really.  You can get all fancy if you want to, but the chopped stuff is just fine.

Anyway- here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

6 large garlic cloves, slightly flattened
6 onzes shallots, peeled and halved  2tablespoon olive oil 

2(14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
3 cups chicken broth, divided
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of ground red pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil 


DIRECTIONS


Place garlic and shallots in an 8-inch square pan lined with aluminum foil; drizzle with oil.
Bake at 450° for 15 minutes, stirring twice; cool.
Process garlic, shallots, tomatoes, 3/4 cup chicken broth, and next 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
Cook tomato mixture and remaining 3/4 cup broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in basil; serve immediately with Basil Pesto Toast, if desired.
Note: To serve 4, double all ingredients. Process half each of garlic, shallots, and tomatoes with 1 cup broth in blender; repeat. Heat tomato mixture and remaining 1 cup broth in a large sacucepan for 8 minutes. 

Makes 4 servings


VERDICT

When I first entered this recipe to get the nutrition information, it came back at 87 calories per serving.  And I was nervous.  How can anything that healthy be filling or taste any good?

I was wrong.  It is great soup.  I didn't make it as smooth as the recipe called for (I guess I should have left it in the food processor longer) and it had chunks of onion and tomato.  And I used entirely too much hot sauce and cayenne pepper.  I'd definitely keep it that hot next time as well.

I added a few Garlic Rosemary Parmesan Biscuits and the whole meal was still under 400 calories.

Overall, the soup is easy to make, healthy, and packs a punch with all that spice!    

NUTRITION

87 calories per serving!

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