Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Decided to make chocolate chip peanut butter cookies when Mr Delightful mentioned a craving for peanut butter cups. So that he wouldn't resort to buying candy, I thought I'd add some chocolate chips to my peanut butter cookies, even though I am not a huge chocolate fan myself.

Many recipes for peanut butter cookies make a point of insisting that only processed peanut butter can be used. One thing I insist on, though, is organic natural (also called "old-fashioned") peanut butter, just peanuts and a little salt, must be stirred--no stabilizers, shortening or sugar.

If you happen to live someplace where peanut butter is not readily available, you can easily whip some up with a food processor. Natural peanut butter is just shelled and roasted peanuts, skins removed, processed (food processor or blender) with perhaps a bit of peanut oil (maybe 1 tablespoon to 8 ounces of peanuts, just guessing) and salt to taste.

Texture is everything in a cookie--can't stand a gummy peanut butter cookie! You can use 1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces) of unbleached all-purpose flour for my recipe, but I really like the texture and extra nutrition you get by using some coarsely ground old-fashioned oats in place of part of the flour. Try it and let me know how you like it!

Of course, you can double this recipe. I just made a small batch because I'm low on my favorite flour and there is none to be had anywhere these days.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

(Makes 22 3-inch cookies)

1/3 cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon non-GMO baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup (2.33 ounces/66 grams) sugar

1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) natural peanut butter

1 large egg (medium in UK)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) semi-sweet chocolate mini chips

1 In food processor with metal blade in place, process oats for about 30 seconds until ground into coarse flour. The mini food processor that goes with my immersion blender (also known as stick blender or hand blender) is perfect for small amounts like this.

2 In small bowl, whisk together flour, ground oats, baking powder, soda and salt.

3 In medium mixing bowl, by hand or with electric hand mixer beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Slowly beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

4 Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Shape #40 scoops* (0.8 ounces or approximately 1.5 tablespoons) of dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Shaping into balls before pressing results in perfectly smooth cookies, edges and all. (If you don't mind a less smooth look, just press the scooped dough down. That's what I often do!) Place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment. With your fingers, flatten into a 2 1/4-inch round (or use a fork to flatten each in a crisscross pattern into a 2 1/4-inch round). Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.

5 Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container. 

* If you don't have one of these 7/8 Ounce Size 40 Stainless Steel Round Squeeze Disher, you need to get one now! How do people make cookies without it!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Pimento Cheese - Pimiento Cheese - A Southern Classic

Pimento Cheese (pimento is pronounced puh-MIN-uh, by the way wink wink) is an iconic Southern food that's been around for over a hundred years, but my Southern grandmother never mentioned it; I had to learn it on my own! There are many variations, but it's basically shredded sharp or medium Cheddar, mayonnaise and pimientos. 

Delicious on a hamburger, hot dog or bacon sandwich, it's more often just slapped on some soft white bread for a quick sandwich, cold or toasted. Apparently, you can also stuff celery with it, spread it on crackers or dip tortilla chips in it. But I only ever seem to serve it with crudités or in tea sandwiches.

It "must" be made with real mayonnaise. Many Southern cooks swear by Duke’s mayonnaise, but I have to make do with Hellmann’s/ Best Foods or my Homemade Mayonnaise. Duke's is still made in Greenville, South Carolina, and sold throughout the South. Sticklers for authenticity can always do mail order!

Purists may not add anything to the basic ingredients, but I can't resist a little dill pickle and dill pickle juice along with black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. You can add a few chopped green olives, red wine vinegar, Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce, so I might have to give that a try in the next batch. 

Some like it blended smooth, but I'm among those who prefer it a little chunky. Does your family have a pimento cheese tradition? Would you like to start one? I’d love to hear your thoughts on pimento cheese.

Pimento Cheese (Pimiento Cheese) 

(Makes 3 cups)

1 pound medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 4-ounce jar pimientos, drained and diced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 In a 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients until well blended. Leave it a little chunky, as I do, or use an immersion blender to make it as smooth as you like. Transfer to serving bowl and cover. Chill for a few hours or up to one week.

2 Serve with a crudités platter, crackers, tortillas chips or bread. Spread on hamburgers, hot dogs or bacon sandwiches. Use it to make a cold or toasted cheese sandwich or, as I have here, tea sandwiches.

Jean

Tomatillo Salsa Verde - For Streamlined Cooking

My Tomatillo Salsa Verde might be a little different from those meant to be used as a salsa. I developed this formulation to be used in my recipes. It’s such a timesaver having jars of this in the freezer for days when I’m craving Chili Verde, for example, but don’t have the time or energy to make it the regular way.

As you might recall, I was crestfallen when Muir Glen discontinued their jarred crushed organic tomatillos that were such a timesaver. So my initial idea was to make my own and freeze it in jars. Then I thought how convenient it would be to have all the ingredients except the pork and the cilantro garnish made ahead.

So, working off my Chili Verde recipe, I came up with this recipe that makes just the right amount for two batches of Chili Verde. I divide it between two wide-mouth quart jars and pop them in the freezer, or use one now and freeze one.

Some of my favorite recipes can be quite time consuming, and I'm actually in the process of streamlining some of them so that we can enjoy them more often. So if that sounds good to you, be sure to follow me and stay tuned!

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

(Makes a little more than 6 cups)

2 pounds tomatillos, husked and quartered
1 medium (about 12 ounces/340 grams) yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 27-ounce can whole mild green chiles
1 4-inch jalapeno pepper, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 In 3- to 3.5-quart saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until tomatillos are tender and starting to fall apart. Let cool for 15 minutes.

2 Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until it reaches desired texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let it cool more and then transfer to a blender or food processor.

3 Refrigerate, if using within a few days. To freeze, put in wide-mouth quart jars or other glass freezer containers. When ready to use frozen salsa, transfer from freezer to refrigerator about 24 hours before.

Canning Jar Info: Sometimes I use four pint jars rather than two quart jars. A wide-mouth pint jar is freezer safe, but a pint jar does not hold a pint of food. The pint (2 cups or 16 fluid ounces) is the to-the-brim measure. The fill line for freezing is just a bit above the 12-ounce line, so you can put just a bit over 1.5 cups of food to be frozen.

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Jean

Pinto Beans and Refried Beans - Frijoles de Olla y Frijoles Refritos

Though I had grown up eating pinto beans as soup beans, something my mother presumably learned from my father's side (the Southern side) of the family, we never had refried beans. That's something I began making on my own later. But recently, when I first thought of posting it, I thought I better consult with my Mexican food expert, Mimi, via her daughter, my friend Julia, as I did for Mexican Rice.

Pot of Beans - Frijoles de Olla

Julia is not the big bean fan that I am, but she spoke to her mother about it so that I could get her "authentic" take on the subject. Turns out Mimi most often cooked a pot of beans, frijoles de olla, without going that step further of making refried beans (but more about that later).

She kept a teakettle of hot water handy to add to the pot of beans when the water level went too low during the long cooking. I thought that was a fantastic tip! Beans take long enough to cook as it is without slowing down the process even more by adding cold water to the simmering pot.

She used a little garlic, but I'm allergic to garlic and avoid it whenever I can. So I decided to throw in a small onion cut in half and just a tiny bit of cumin, red pepper flakes and oregano; not enough to notice, just enough to infuse a certain something into my garlic-free beans.

I've done the overnight pre-soak and the quick-soak thing, but have found just cooking the beans in their unsoaked state works as well. I just bring the pot of beans to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until done. It may or may not take a bit longer; that really depends on the age of the beans.

Usually I don't mind tending a pot of beans for a few hours, but it has been so hot this week I haven't wanted to be anywhere near the stove! So I decided to make my pot of beans in the slow cooker for the first time. And. I. will. never. cook. beans. any. other. way! Totally effortless!

Note: If I were cooking beans in a pressure cooker, I would definitely presoak. Otherwise, you will end up with lots of split skins and blown-out beans.

Update 03/21/19: Not true! Got an Instant Pot in December and have just posted Instant Pot Pinto Beans.

Sure, you can buy canned beans. But do the math first. A pot of beans from 2 pounds of dried beans equals about eight 15-ounce cans of beans! You can freeze the beans in can-size portions or whatever size portion you need. I will never buy canned pinto beans again.



Cook a big pot of pinto beans, use some now and freeze the rest in meal-size portions. Frozen beans will keep for up to 3 months.

Refried Beans - Frijoles Refritos

The word "refrito" doesn't really mean "refried," but rather "well-fried" or something like that, the Spanish "re" being an intensifier rather than a multiplier.

Some cooks prefer to use lard in their refried beans, but Mimi always preferred vegetable oil. Whenever vegetable oil is called for, I often use organic (non-GMO) canola oil.

It's important to heat the oil very well before adding the beans. But be very careful when adding the beans and, especially, their liquid to the hot oil.

I've made both bean recipes suitable for vegetarians and vegans. And, seasoned as they were, I didn't even miss the little bit of salt pork or fatty bacon I sometimes use. 

 

Pinto Beans - Frijoles de Olla

(Makes about 13 cups of drained beans)

2 pounds dried pinto beans
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small (about 6 ounces) onion, peeled and halved
3 quarts (about 3 liters) water

1 Rinse beans, watching for any debris or bad beans, and add to 6.5-quart slow cooker. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, onion and water. Set slow cooker on Low for 9 hours. (It won't take 9 hours, but I set it for longer so that I don't need to restart the cooker.)

2 After 6 hours, check the beans. If they are nearly done, remove the onion and add the remaining teaspoon of salt. Continue cooking for one hour; check for doneness. Mine were done at that point.

Note: The cooked beans can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Refried Beans - Frijoles Refritos

(Makes 2 cups)

1/4 cup organic canola oil
3 cups drained beans
1 cup bean liquid

1 Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until oil is very hot.

2 Add the beans, then add the bean liquid very slowly and carefully. Fry until the liquid is thickening, about 10 minutes.

3 Mash beans in the skillet with either a potato masher or an immersion blender (take the pan off the heat while using the immersion blender), adding more bean liquid if needed. You can completely mash the beans to a puree or leave some whole beans. The beans will thicken as they sit, so add enough liquid to make them less thick than you want them to end up.

Note: You can top the beans with queso fresco, if you like, but I prefer Monterey jack cheese and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro. And Homemade Flour Tortillas!

Jean

The Ultimate Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate - Chocolat Chaud Sans Laitage

(Pardon my French! Not entirely sure "Sans Laitage" shouldn't be "Sans Produits Laitiers" or something else.)

Ever since I heard that at Ladurée in Paris they blend hot chocolate with an immersion blender to make it really frothy just before serving, I knew I had to have an immersion blender. But by the time I got the immersion blender my chocolate mood had passed and has only just now returned. You see, generally speaking I am not a chocolate fan. But when the mood does strike, nothing else will do! 

And one of the chocolate things I enjoy is a good not-too-sweet hot chocolate. An "adult" hot chocolate, if you will. Since I'm contemplating experimenting with dairy-free for a couple of months at some point, I thought I'd make my hot chocolate with rice milk. Of course, you can use regular milk and even add more sugar, if you like. And you might want to leave out the Kahlua or coffee.

There is only one thing you can't change about this recipe. You must froth the chocolate with an immersion blender for one minute and serve immediately. I've made hot chocolate with rice milk before, and it seemed rather thin. Not this. The immersion blender gives the hot chocolate a texture I can only call "plush."

Have you tried it? If not, give it a go and let me know what you think. 

The Ultimate Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

(Makes 1 serving)

1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) rice milk
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon (or more) Kahlua or 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 In 1-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients, cooking and stirring until hot. Turn off heat.

2 With immersion blender, blend hot chocolate for 1 minute. It will be very frothy. 

Note: If you are multiplying recipe to make 2 or 3 servings, use a 2-quart pan. For 4 servings, step up to a 3-quart pan because the immersion blender will really expand the contents of the pan. 

3 Pour into mug(s). Enjoy.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup is the quintessential soup of autumn, and despite a spell of hot weather, I've been feeling positively autumnal. When I see this soup on a seasonal menu, I'm always tempted. But then I hesitate because too often it's made in one of two ways that I don't like.

One extreme is a version overloaded with garlic and strong herbs, trying too hard to not be the other extreme I don't like. And that is one that borders on dessert, very sweet and pumpkin-pie spicy. I add just a tiny amount of nutmeg, allspice and real maple syrup to enhance the natural sweetness of the squash and the tartness of the green apple.

A bit of potato amps up the creamy texture even without any actual cream. And using an immersion blender to puree the soup is the only way to go. Ladling part of it into a countertop blender and then pouring it into yet another bowl or pot, and then repeating two or three times ... well, all I have to say is I can't believe I waited so long to get an immersion blender. 

Of course, you can use chicken stock rather than vegetable stock and even put in some bacon, but I like the pure vegetable flavors of this version. What could be better than a steaming bowl of soup and homemade bread with lots of butter on a crisp autumn day! What are your favorite soups? 

Butternut Squash Soup

(Makes 2.25 quarts/2.13 liters)

1 medium (2.5 pounds) butternut squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium (8 ounces) Granny Smith apple, roughly chopped
1 small (4 ounces) yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 medium (2 ounces) carrot, roughly chopped
1 medium (8 ounces) russet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 quart lower sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Pinch (1/16 teaspoon) cayenne
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
Garnish: apple, nutmeg, creme fraiche

1 Preheat oven to 400F/200C/Gas6. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut off stem of squash, and cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place cut side up on prepared baking sheet, and brush tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour. Let stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle.

2 In a 4-quart pot, heat olive oil and add chopped* apple, onion and carrot. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook for about 8 minutes. Scoop cooled squash into the pot. Add potato, broth, water and seasonings, including another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, loosely covered, for 40 minutes.

* Roughly chopped is fine because you'll be pureeing the soup.

3 Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot. Stir in the maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: I'm not saying life without an immersion blender was meaningless or that I'm consumed with bitterness and regret for not getting one sooner. But seriously, folks, if you don't have an immersion blender, get one now. You'll wonder how you got along without it!

4 Ladle soup into bowls, garnish and serve.

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Homemade Mayonnaise - Immersion Blender Method - No Raw Egg

I do love the flavor of a certain brand of mayonnaise I grew up with, but it is not organic; so I prefer homemade. And I make mine with gently cooked egg so no one will have issues with it because of concerns about salmonella. 

Be sure to use the freshest eggs and oils for mayonnaise. Eggs lose some of their emulsifying ability as they age, and oils can turn rancid and take on "off" flavors. Taste the oils you plan to use; if they don't taste good, your mayonnaise won't taste good. 

Olive oil alone is too strongly flavored for general-purpose mayonnaise, so I use one part organic extra virgin olive oil and three parts organic canola oil. I always buy non-GMO organic expeller pressed (pressed without chemicals and high-speed presses that generate heat) oil.

If you don't have an immersion blender but you do have a food processor, try my Food Processor Mayonnaise. If you want to do it by hand with a whisk, you're on your own; I haven't done that in years! Not that it's difficult, but my beating arm is having issues these days.

Homemade Mayonnaise - Immersion Blender Method

(Makes 1 1/4 cups) 

1 very fresh large egg
1 very fresh large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon white or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon tapioca flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 cups very fresh organic canola oil
1/4 cup very fresh extra virgin olive oil 

1 In 1-quart bowl, whisk together the egg, yolk, water, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, flour, salt and dry mustard. Whisk vigorously for 1 minute, until mixture is smooth and frothy.

2 Transfer the mixture to a small nonstick skillet and heat over very low heat, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture starts to thicken. It should register 160F/71C on an instant-read thermometer; do not allow mixture to reach 170F/76C. Remove from heat, set pan in another pan of ice and water, and stir until the mixture has cooled to room temperature. Pour into 16-ounce mixing beaker. Measure the oils into the beaker. 

3 Stand the immersion blender in the beaker. With the blender blade in one spot touching the bottom, blend on low speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 to 10 seconds. With the blender on low, slowly pull the blade up to the top of the beaker. Continue, moving the blender slowly up and down until thick, about 25 to 30 seconds longer. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

4 Scrape mayonnaise into a glass jar or container, cover and refrigerate. Can be refrigerated up to 4 days (some people say longer). I rarely use that much mayonnaise in such a short time, so I divide it between two jars and give one to a friend. 

Maple-Pecan Sweet Potato Puree

In fall and winter I like to bake or roast sweet potatoes, but I picked up some sweet potatoes right in the middle of a heat wave and running the oven just wasn't going to be happening in my house! So I gave them a quick boil and, using an immersion blender, made a simple puree.

Some sweet potatoes are super sweet and really don't need the addition of a sweetener, but these were not all that sweet and really benefited from a splash of real maple syrup. Just a little grating of nutmeg enhanced the flavor without overpowering the dish.

A simple side dish for a simple summer meal. What are some of your favorite sides these days? 

Maple-Pecan Sweet Potato Puree

(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons real maple syrup, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

1 Peel, rinse and cut into rough cubes of an inch or so. Put them in a 2-quart saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer, loosely covered, about 10 minutes (sweet potatoes cook a lot faster than potatoes).

2 Drain* the sweet potatoes and return them to low heat to dry the moisture out of them; toss the butter in at the same time. Remove from the heat. With immersion blender, puree to the consistency you prefer, blending in 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding another tablespoon of maple syrup if you like.

* The cooking water would make a nice addition to a soup.

3 Transfer to serving dish; sprinkle with toasted pecans and drizzle with 1 tablespoon maple syrup.

Jean

Swedish Meatballs - Svenska Kottbullar

Of course, no smorgasbord would be complete without meatballs. And perfect for Mad Men-era cocktail party menus, Swedish meatballs also make a main dish the whole family will enjoy. 

I first had them when I was 12. I only remember because that was when my self-employed father took on some work about 200 miles from home, testing the waters in another area with an eye to possibly moving there. For the next 18 months, we saw him only on weekends. My mother and I hit the road every Friday afternoon to visit him in his temporary home. 

And every Friday evening we had dinner out. One of the places my father had discovered was a family-owned Swedish smorgasbord restaurant that was popular with the locals. I liked my first dinner there so much that I continued to get the exact same thing every time we went there over the next 18 months. You know how kids are! 

I got different side dishes from time to time, but Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes (Kottbullar med Potatismos) every single time. Not being Swedish, I make no claims to authenticity; but these tender meatballs do taste very much like I remember those first Swedish meatballs of long ago. (If you prefer, here are my Italian meatballs.)

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Swedish Meatballs - Svenska Kottbullar 

(Makes about 34, 4 main-dish servings) 

The Meatballs 

About 2 slices good white bread for 3/4 packed cup breadcrumbs 
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork 

The Sauce 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups lower sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
Garnish: sour cream and chopped dill 

1 Use food processor to make perfect fresh breadcrumbs. Cut two slices (you might need a third slice, depending on your bread) of good white bread into four to six pieces. You only need to remove the crust if it's coated with seeds. Process until it becomes breadcrumbs. Don't worry about overdoing it; it's pretty foolproof. You should have 3/4 cup, fairly firmly packed. Add crumbs to a 2-quart mixing bowl. 

Update 07/02/16: I've since acquired (and become addicted to!) an immersion blender, and it has a handy dandy little mini processor/chopper bowl that works beautifully for the small amounts in this recipe. If you don't have one, don't wait as long as I did to get one!

2 Cut a small piece of onion into a couple of chunks and use the food processor (no need to clean the bowl) to finely mince the onion. Saute in oil until soft. Add to bowl. 

3 Add salt, pepper, allspice, milk, egg and Worcestershire sauce to bowl. Mix well. Add ground beef and ground pork, and mix well. Just use your impeccably clean hand to mix, if you like. Put mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before shaping.

4 Preheat oven to 400F/200C/Gas6. Using a #60/0.5-ounce/1 tablespoon scoop, scoop out all the meatballs; you should get almost 3 dozen. Place them on an oiled rimmed baking sheet (13x9x1-inch quarter sheet pan is perfect for this), then go back and roll each one into a smooth round ball and place back on the sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. 

5 In 12-inch skillet (10-inch okay if it has straight sides), melt butter. Stir in flour, cooking and stirring to make a smooth, browned roux. Don't rush it; get the roux browned. Add beef broth and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cream. Transfer meatballs to sauce. Heat on low for 10 minutes.

6 Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a generous sprinkling of dill. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Roasted Tomato Soup - Made with Canned Tomatoes

Winter is the perfect time for rustic casseroles, robust stews and satisfying soups. Though I love the hearty soups made from the fresh, local ingredients available at this time of year, there are days when what I really want is a bowl of tomato soup. End of summer, early fall, I make my roasted tomato soup from garden tomatoes. But now the choice is out-of-season "fresh" tomatoes or canned tomatoes.

No contest! I'll choose quality canned tomatoes every time. If you don't have home-canned tomatoes on hand, be sure to buy a brand that is organic, non-GMO and BPA-free. Roasting the tomatoes and vegetables gives this soup a deeper flavor. If you find yourself in the mood for tomato soup, don't wait for summer. And, for goodness sake, do NOT resort to canned soup (especially one that contains high fructose corn syrup)!

I've found that really good canned tomatoes (I always use Muir Glen organic) make better soup than the less-than-stellar fresh tomatoes available. If I couldn't get Muir Glen's fire-roasted tomatoes, I would get the canned whole tomatoes and roast them along with the other vegetables as directed below.

This is a recipe I developed years ago, and I love it when made just as written. But, you know how it is. You're in the mood to make something and you don't have all the ingredients. By the time you go to the store, you're either out of the mood or out of time. That's the beauty of soup--you can leave things out, add things in, it's all good. This time I was out of celery, so I just added 1/8 teaspoon of celery seed, something I always have on hand. 

Of course, you can eat it right away, but it tastes even better the next day. So make it a day ahead if you can. What is your favorite soup?

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Roasted Tomato Soup

(Serves 6)

1 medium or 1/2 large red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 medium stalk celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, cut into 2 pieces
1 small shallot
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On foil-lined half-sheet pan, spread out bell pepper, celery, onion and shallot. Drizzle oil over vegetables; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until browned and tender about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. (If using regular canned whole tomatoes, drain and reserve juice; cut tomatoes in half; and arrange cut side up on baking sheet along with the other vegetables.) Cool slightly, about 45 minutes, before putting in the blender.)

2 Put tomatoes and roasted vegetables and any accumulated juices in blender. Press the liquefy button and process until smooth; strain through sieve set over 2-quart glass measure (adding some of the broth, if needed to make the soup easier to strain). Cover and keep refrigerated (up to 1 day ahead) until ready to finish soup.

3 In 3-quart saucepan, heat soup to a simmer, adding sugar, marjoram, crushed red pepper, broth and cream. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle soup into 6 warm shallow bowls. Top each with a dollop of sour cream, and garnish with homemade croutons. 

Optional: The best way to add garlic to this soup is in the form of homemade croutons, easily made in a skillet with 2 cups of 3/4-inch cubes of sourdough bread, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, a little salt and 1 clove fresh garlic, halved. Cook the garlic for a few minutes, then discard. Toss the bread cubes in the garlic-infused oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Jean