Home from the Hospital and Ina's Easy Tomato Soup

Sam's been home for a few days now. He spent a full week in the hospital. It would have been longer, had we not fought to be discharged (with our oncologist on our side). I swear, the hospital has a way of turning me into such an unpleasant person. I guess this is something I should consider working on, since we seem to be there on a regular basis. The upside is that we have a renewed sense of how wonderful our everyday life is and how much we truly love our home. It's so easy, even after everything we've been through, to get bogged down in the everyday stuff. Oh, but when that stuff is gone. You miss it. The meal planning, the bath time, the "what do you feel like doing this weekend?". The little things. Like cooking this soup.

I've been making this soup from Ina's latest cookbook Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust for a while now, and every time I do, it's a huge hit. I'll never forget the first time I made it. I followed her recipe exactly, topping each bowl with the adorable grilled cheese "croutons" she makes to go with it. I wish I had taken a picture of Sam and Jack staring at their bowls. Finally Sam asked, "Babe, this looks amazing, but where's my sandwich?" and Jack spent the next ten minutes trying to fish them out with his fingers. Needless to say, we are not a grilled cheese crouton house. Lesson learned. Now I serve this up in bowls with a big platter of sandwich halves in the middle of the table and everyone's happy.

grilled cheese croutons. never again.

Ina's Easy Tomato Soup

*Note: Out of sheer laziness, I've tried to skip the step of cooking the orzo separate and just add it to the soup. This never works out, and always results in haphazardly cooked pasta- some crunchy, some complete mush. If you think it's your lucky night, go ahead and try it and be sure to tell me exactly what you did. I'm not sure what it is, but some nights I read the step to get out an extra pan to boil water and equate it to being ordered outside to run a mile. Ridiculous, I know. And the spinach is my addition. Great way to "sneak" in some cancer fighting greens. 

3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 cups chicken stock
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup orzo (or other tiny pasta shape)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2-3 handfuls of fresh, chopped spinach (optional)

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream and spinach, return the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.  

*Like most any soup, this can be made a few days in advance. You could make it on the weekend, cool it down a bit, and stash it away in the fridge. Tuesday night dinner now consists of making grilled cheese sandwiches and reheating a pot of delicious, homemade soup. Just a suggestion.

butternut squash & apple soup

This is one of my favorite fall soups. I found this recipe in college, and whenever I make it I'm always reminded of carving pumpkins at the little stone cottage behind Swamp. A very happy memory amidst the drudgery of grad school. It shouldn't be hard to convince your small one to take a bite since, let's be honest, it's not much more than a glorified baby puree.  enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

3-4 lb butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper
3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (or more for a thinner soup)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Preheat the oven to 425.
     Chop up the squash, onion and apple in 1-inch cubes. Place on a large baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Divide the mixture between 2 baking sheets and spread everything into a single layer. Roast for 40 minutes, occasionally stirring, until everything is very soft. (You must stir to prevent scorching)
     When the vegetables are done place them in a large soup pot and add 3 cups of chicken broth. Use an immersion blender to puree to a desired consistency. (You could also use a food processor to coarsely puree the mixture with just a bit of broth.) Over a medium-low heat, add the remaining stock depending on the desired thickness of the soup, followed by the curry powder and more salt and pepper to taste.

serves 4-6. freezes great.

Beef Stew

I came across this recipe in Ann Hodgman's Beat This! cookbook. It's a funny little book, filled with lots of really great recipes. This beef stew could not suit my current life more perfectly. I chop everything up the night before, dump it all in a dutch oven the next day, pop it in the oven, and forget about it for the next 5 hours. It does use a can of Campbell's Tomato Bisque soup which, I know, will send some of you into a tailspin. I strongly advise against trying to sub something else in. I've tried and so has Ms. Hodgman. Take a deep breath and get out your can opener. It's going to be OK.

Beef Stew

2 pounds of stew meat (I cut up a chuck roast)
6 carrots, cut into thick slices
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large baking potato, cut into large cubes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 can Campbell's Tomato Bisque soup
1/2 soup can water, dry red wine or beer (I use wine because, well, have we met?)

Preheat the oven to 275 F.
     Combine the beef, veggies and bay leaf in a lidded casserole dish. Sprinkle the seasonings over all and mix well. Combine the soup and your liquid of choice in a small bowl and pour it over the stew ingredients. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and then with the lid.
     Bake the stew for 5 hours (she recommends checking to make sure there's still liquid halfway through, but this has never been an issue for me).

Serves 6