Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

We went to Cooper's Hawk for their November/December lunch special and it came with tomato basil soup on the side.   This finally converted my tomato soup hating hubby who had only had Campbell's mixed with water.  That shouldn't even be called tomato soup!  This version from damndelicious.net is mmm-mmm good.

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

2 28-oz cans whole peeled plum tomatoes with basil (I couldn't find ones with basil, so I got San Marzano whole peeled and added dried basil myself)

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 1/2 c. vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small bell pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

2 T. tomato paste

1 1/2 t. dried oregano

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. fresh ground pepper

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/3 c. chopped fresh basil if you have it

Put tomatoes in the slow cooker. Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, garlic, onion, bell pepper, tomato paste, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper until well combined.   Crush up the tomatoes a bit with a potato masher.

Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Puree with an immersion blender until smooth.  Stir in the heavy cream.  season with salt and pepper to taste.

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oz  = ounce

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

c = cup

Creamy Tuscan Shrimp

I found this general recipe online and tweaked it to make it my own.  We had it over some homemade fettuccini pasta that I dried and it was superb.

Cream Tuscan Shrimp

1 lb. raw peeled and deveined shrimp

4 - 8 oz. sliced mushrooms (add as much as you like)

4 T. butter, divided

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 T. flour (I like using Wondra as it is super fine)

1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 t. lemon juice

1 jar sun-dried tomato (I used julienned in oil.  Don't include oil)

5 oz. fresh spinach

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Melt 2 T. of butter and saute the mushrooms.  

Add the other 2 T of butter and the flour and stir to combine.  Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and stir for 30 seconds or so.

Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and stir.

Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the sundried tomatoes and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and combined.

Season with salt, pepper, and add the red pepper flakes.

Serve over pasta.  Or not.

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lb = pound

c = cup

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

oz = ounce

Sugar Cookie Frango Mint Temptations

 The Frango Mint.  A holiday stable by Marshall Fields.  Yeah, that's right Macy's, I said what I said.  They will always belong to Marshall Fields.

I made this up using a sugar cookie recipe I found online from Handle the Heat and applied the same method as the Peanut Butter Temptations, but with a Frango mint.   A very wise decision.  

The original sugar cookie recipe was actually one of those giant-sized cookies that makes 16.  If you are going to do that (which I'm definitely gonna try because who doesn't love a giant cookie), roll the dough in sugar, flatten a bit with the bottom of a measuring cup, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Sugar Cookie Frango Mint Temptations

2 1/4 c. (318 grams) flour

1 t. baking powder

3/4 t. fine sea salt

2 sticks butter (1 cup)

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1 t. vanilla

1 box Frango Mints 

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar for a couple minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix a bit more.

Slowly add the flour mixture and mix some more.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place in a mini muffin pans.  

Bake for 11 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take the pans out of the oven and press a mint in each cookie.  Cool a bit and carefully remove the cookie from the pan to continue to cool on a rack.

Nut, Fruit, and Date Energy Bars

 I stumbled upon this on a health app and gave it a try on a whim.  Super easy!  It takes way longer to clean up the blender than it does to make them.

Nut, Fruit, and Date Energy Bars 

1 c. nuts (I used raw almond for my first go-around)

1 c. dried fruit (cranberries are what I had on hand)

1 c. dried pitted dates

Combine the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a ball is formed, scraping down the edges when needed. (Full disclosure, a food processor didn't give me the consistency I was looking for so I switched over to my Vitamix blender.  That worked like a charm.)

Place the ball on a piece of wax paper with another piece of wax paper on top.  Press it into a square shape about 6x6 inches.

Wrap the wax paper around the square an pop it in the fridge for a few hours.

Unwrap and cut it into 10-12 mini small bars and wrap individually in plastic wrap.

Store in the fridge.

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c = cup