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

Indian Curry Samosas

I found a recipe online for Indian Chicken Curry (on Nutritional Weight and Wellness).  The results were a bit meh...  

But I had so much leftover that I tweaked it a bit and turned them into some pretty awesome samosas.  Here is a reduced recipe that will get you 18 decent sized samosas out of it with maybe a bit left.  

Indian Curry Samosas

2 t. coconut oil

1 lb. chicken thighs, cut in smaller pieces

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 can coconut milk

2 1/2 T. curry powder, red or yellow, or mix. (I used both with a lot more red than yellow)

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

3 c. cauliflower, cut in bit sized pieces

1 c. sweet potato, diced

1 c. green beans cut in bit sized pieces

1 box puff pastry sheets

1 egg

Toss the cauliflower and sweet potatoes in some oil and roast them at 375 degrees until softer.  15 minutes maybe?

Melt coconut oil in a large skillet.  Brown the chicken thighs on all sides and remove from the pan to cool.  Dice the chicken a bit more.

In the same skillet, add the broth, coconut milk, and curry. Bring it to a simmer.

Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes and green beans and cook until the beans are tender.

Add the chicken and mix together.

Let is cool a bit and then add everything to a food processor to chop things up a bit. It should not be runny!

Roll each sheet of pastry into a larger square on a floured surface.  Cut each into 9 square, 18 total.

Plop 3 T. or so of the filling in the middle of each square.

Brush the edges with beaten egg and fold over diagonally.

Seal the edges with fork tines.

Place the puffs on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes, until puffy and nicely browned.

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lb = pound

T = tablespoon

t = teaspoon

c = cup

Tomato Bean Parmesan Soup

 This is a recipe from Molly Yeh's second cookbook, Home is Where the Eggs Are, and is called Tomatoey Parmesan Beans.  But, it's really a soup and the name doesn't really make that clear, so I'm changing it!   It is really easy and super flavorful.  I actually wanted to make it again the next day.  It was that good.

Tomato Bean Parmesan Soup

2 T. butter

1 garlic head

15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

28 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable stock

1 parmesan rind, plus a good amount for grating when serving

1 bay leaf

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 big handfuls of baby spinach

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Chop off the top of the head of garlic so the cloves are exposed and discard any loose peels (but keep the head together if possible).  Add the garlic head to the pot cut side down and cook for a few minutes, until browned around the edges.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, stock, parmesan rind, bay leaf, and a couple of good pinches of salt and many cracks of pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (The recipe says to cook until the garlic gets mushy, but mine really didn't.  The idea is that you can squish out the soft garlic on crusty bread).

Stir in the spinach to wilt it a few minutes before serving.

Remove the garlic head, bay leaf, and parmesan rind.

After ladling the soup in the bowl, top with a pinch of salt and pepper and a bunch of grated parmesan.

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oz = ounce

T = tablespoon

c = cup

Butternut Squash Apple Curry Soup

I gotta say I might like this soup better than my other Butternut Squash Soup recipe.  It's milder and velvety smooth if you use your immersion blender.   

1 T. coconut oil

1 c. onion, chopped (1 small onion, I used a sweet onion)

1 T. garlic minced (3-4 large cloves)

1 T. ginger, minced or grated (about a thumb sized piece)

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 granny smith apple, skin on and chopped

1 decent sized carrot, peeled and chopped

5-6 c. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch or so chunks (1 small to medium sized)

1 T. yellow curry powder

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cayenne (go shy on this)

3 c. vegetable stock

1 15-oz can full fat coconut milk

Heat the coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, stir frequently, about 5 minutes until translucent.

Add the garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and stir.

Add the apple, carrot, and butternut squash.  Stir and cook about 3-5 minutes until the apples start to soften.

Add the curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne until the veggies are well coated and the kitchen smells good.

Add the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil.  Then reduce to a simmer until the squash is tender (20-30 minutes)

Remove from heat and blend into a creamy puree.  

Stir in the coconut milk.

Enjoy.

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c = cup

T = Tablespoon

t = teaspoon