Homemade Tomato Soup (And some grilled cheese advice too)

A quick look back at some delicious meals I've had in the past couple months, since I haven't been around to blog about it. (Yeah, sorry 'bout that.)

Christmas Day: Country fried steak, pan gravy, homemade mashed potatoes, coleslaw, corn, crowder peas, corn, and dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped with basil and proscuitto - my overcooked attempt at gourmet hors d'oeuvres (not shown.)

Don't hate.

Girls' Night with Julie: Dinner at the Thai Restaurant of Norcross. We had my favorite, the panang curry with tofu as well as a large helping of pad thai with pork and the coconut soup seen in the...uh...what is that thing called? It was yummy, albeit a little salty. I'm glad I found a local thai place after Cozy Yum Yum in Athens, GA turned into a pit of culinary despair.
Eating in w/ the Boyfriend: Coconut fried shrimp, jasmine steamed rice, and fresh steamed broccoli. I used Alton Brown's recipe sans the homemade peanut sauce. I used Lee Kum Kee brand bottled peanut flavored sauce instead. (I hate bottled sauces, but this was an exception. I didn't have a blender at the time, and I thought I'd lost the shield for liquids on my food processor.) The shrimp were succulent and crunchy. Also a hit with my boyfriend, who ate his weight in these little taste sensations.

Also, please just spend the extra money, and go for the peeled and deveined shrimp. If they are frozen, so be it. I spent way too much time huddled over the kitchen sink, and I can never have that back.

Tomato soup is one of those dishes I just wasn't crazy about as a child. I hated fried bologna, the taste of cough syrup, sour patch kids, ketchup, pickles, and many other supposed "kid-friendly" flavors and foods. I refused to eat fresh tomatoes, so why would I compromise my palate by consuming these overly salty tomato concoctions disguised as delicious campbell's soup? And why would I even ask for tomato, when I could have chicken noodle or vegetable or even black bean?

But my boyfriend, as usual, got really excited at the prospect of making soup one day after I, in a wave of exhaustion, decided to put together something simple for dinner. Why not soup and grilled cheese? Easy enough. The conversation, with all its good intentions, ended with me agreeing to make homemade tomato soup knowing full well I had no food-pulverizing equipment whatsoever.

Though I was a little peeved that I had so quickly conceded to my boyfriend's pleading, it ultimately lead to my quest for an immersion blender. They look like this. That one actually looks a lot nicer. I purchased a much cheaper version with two attachments and a little carrying case. So far, it has been very helpful and easy to clean. Just make sure you press the thing all the way to the bottom of the pot before you turn it on, or say hello to red polka dots on your nice white cotton sweater from Ann Taylor Loft. Aye ya! (For this recipe, a blender will probably work just as well, but then you gotta clean them out. Blech.)

Here's a souper....ha ha...souper quick tomato soup recipe for those of you who need something easy and wholesome and dare I admit, comforting.

3 Cups Chicken Broth (canned or homemade, whatevever, but if it is canned, please omit the extra salt)

1 Can Muir Glen Organic crushed tomatoes

1 Cup Half and Half

One and a half handfuls of basil chopped into strands (chiffonade if you want to get technical)

1/2 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine the broth, half and half, tomatoes, cayenne, and about a handful of basil into a large pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 min. Stir occasionally.

Allow soup to cool slightly. Use immersion blender to blend the soup thoroughly until no tomato chucks are left and the soup has a thicker consistency. Garnish with the remaining basil. Serve with wheat saltines.

NOTE: Always salt soup after it has cooled down a little. If you taste it when it is still boiling hot, you cannot tell how much salt is already in the soup.

DELICIOUS GRILLED CHEESE NOTE: If you are going to make grilled cheese to go with this amazing soup, I recommend using soft italian bread (no whole wheat, not for this) and the sharpest cheddar you can find. This is the best combo I have ever had. Forget your fancy muenster, your swiss, your brie. Sharp Sharp Sharpity cheddar. To make it even better, thinly slice a granny smith apple and put the slices next to the cheese before you start to grill your sandwich. It is gooey crunch heaven. I am chewing on my wrist just thinking about it.