fannie & millie .: handcrafted goodness

roasted tomato & garlic soup

I was asked to share this recipe. I don’t use one, so I’m just going to give a step-by-step explanation. It’s super easy, and tastes like end-of-summer tomato heaven.

ingredients:

• tomatoes - lots - cut into big chunks
• garlic - as much as you want - peeled
• extra virgin olive oil
• onions - peeled and diced
• vegetable broth - if I don’t have homemade, I use “Better Than Bouillon” - caution - it has a tiny bit of partially hydrogenated soybean oil. As a rule, we don’t eat hydrogenated oil, but I make an exception for this product. It’s good and a little goes a long way.
• water
• rosemary
• basil
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Place tomatoes and garlic in a large roasting pan with high sides - I use a jumbo lasagna pan. drizzle a generous amount of the olive oil on top and then sprinkle with sea salt. Stir everything thoroughly and place in the oven.
3. Check and stir occasionally. Remove pan when tomatoes are very soft - about 40 minutes to 1hour. If you’re lucky, there will be a little charring at the edges. The charring adds to the roasted flavor of the tomatoes.
4. Meanwhile (I do this when the tomatoes are nearly done), use a big stockpot to sauté the diced onions in a bit of the olive oil. A touch of sea salt may also be added here; just be miserly with the salt at this point. Sometimes broth is salty and you don’t want to overpower the sweetness of the tomatoes.
5. Transfer the tomatoes to the stockpot of onions and stir. transfer the stockpot ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree with the pulse feature until you have a rough puree - I like this soup very rustic and not too smooth. Return to the pot. Alternatively, use a stick blender in the stockpot to puree the tomatoes and onions; this is my favorite method as it’s neat and cuts down on things to wash. Unfortunately, my stick blender is broken.
6. Look at the soup and add water if needed.
7. Taste the soup and add the following ingredients to taste: vegetable stock (use just enough for richness - be careful not to use enough to make the soup taste of mixed vegetables - the tomatoes are the star - I only used a couple of teaspoons for about 5 quarts of soup) sea salt, black pepper and herbs - basil and rosemary. If using fresh herbs, add them when you are ready to serve. I used dry, so I added them at this point. I used a very generous amount of basil and a very small, supporting amount of rosemary. Feel free to add whatever you like.
8. Let the soup simmer for at least 10 minutes before serving - longer is better, but we get impatient. If you have extraordinary willpower, put the soup away at this point and eat it tomorrow.  It’s even better the next day.

I like to serve this with some rustic whole grain bread and a nice cheese.

If you don’t care for the seeds and skin, you may use a food mill instead of a blender. I like the seeds and skin, so I leave them; but if you use the food mill, you can add cream to the soup just before serving (don’t let it boil) for a yummy cream of tomato soup.

enjoy! Let me know if anything isn’t clear.

Plastic is everywhere. It’s in our clothes and in our cars. Our homes are filled with it. So much of what we buy is packaged in it. Cups, toys, DVD’s, silverware, sandwich bags - the stuff is everywhere.

All of this plastic has a tremendous impact on the environment – both when it’s made and when it’s disposed of. Today Americans generate 10.5 million tons of plastic waste every year, but we recycle less than 2%. And because plastic decomposes very slowly, nearly every single piece of plastic ever made is still in existence and it will be for thousands of years!

Plastic also has a tremendous negative impact on our health. My wonderful friend, graygoosie, is justifiably concerned about the xenoestrogens in plastic. Here’s what she’s doing about eliminating them from her life:

If you want to learn a little more about what xenoestrogens might be doing to your health, check out some of the following articles:

• Xenoestrogens cause Endometriosis
• Xenoestrogens Exacerbate Menstrual Migraines
• Xenoestrogens and Women’s Health
• Naked Truth: Xenoestrogens
• Estrogen levels and menopause
• Xenoestrogens and Breast Cancer: Nowhere to Run
• Xenoestrogens Cause PMS

I do not endorse any of the above articles, I’m presenting them to you as food for thought. I have; however, read the article quoted and linked below, and consider it recommended reading for everyone:

“A vast swath of the Pacific, twice the size of Texas, is full of a plastic stew that is entering the food chain. Scientists say these toxins are causing obesity, infertility…and worse.”

The good news is……………..we have the power to create change. Here are some fairly simple (I’m all about the simple. If it’s too hard, who’s going to do it?) ways to use less plastic:

1. When buying groceries, look for products that aren’t packaged with plastic. Glass, metal and paper are all better for the environment and are more easily recycled.

2. Hit the grocery store with your own grocery sacks. There are so many reusable bag options today and several large grocery chains offer money back when you bring your own bags. My local Trader Joe’s rewards people who bring bags with a raffle ticket for a weekly $25.00 gift certificate drawing. Reusable grocery bags are easier to carry and you can pack more into them than in regular plastic bags.

3. Plastic bags don’t just come from the grocery store. Bring your own bags when shopping anywhere, or refuse a bag for smaller items that you can easily carry on your own.

4. Avoid buying disposable plastic water bottles. Instead, use your own water bottle and refill it. If you’re concerned about using Nalgenes or other reusable plastic bottles, opt for stainless steel or glass models.

5. Choose household items that aren’t made of plastic. Buy the wooden-handled mop and the metal bucket instead of their plastic counter-parts.

6. Plastic plates, cups and silverware are huge pollutants and wastes of energy. Get real ones! Bring the real ones camping, on picnics and to potlucks.

7. Think about the other plastic items you use daily. Pens, toothbrushes, combs and other implements come in earth-friendly forms. Next time you’re ready to toss one of these items, think about replacing it with an alternative version.

8. Go back to brown-bagging it. However, instead of using a tired paper sack, spice up your lunch break with a cool reusable tote or lunch box. Pack your sandwiches in wax paper or use reusable containers to store leftovers from home.

9. Replace your plastic food storage containers with stainless steel or glass.

I can’t say that I’m doing all of these things…yet. But I’m working on it step by step.

Do you have any tips, tricks, or suggestions for using less plastic?