Tomato Soup and Oyster Crackers

Hearty Tomato Soup--Better than Campbells!

4 Whole Peeled Tomatoes, frozen or fresh (peeling tomatoes is easier if frozen--a quick run under water pulls the peel right off. fresh tomatoes must be blanched)

4 Cups Tomato Juice

½ Cup Heavy Cream

1 Onion, chopped

4 Celery Stalks, chopped

2 Peeled Carrots, chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 Cup Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth

1 Bay Leaf

Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper and Basil (fresh or dried) to taste

2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)

Heat tomatoes and tomato juice in a stockpot over medium heat to soften. Meanwhile, sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Combine softened tomatoes and sautéed vegetables in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot and add heavy cream, broth and remaining seasonings. Simmer over medium heat 15 minutes.

Seasoned Soup Crackers

2 Bags Oyster Crackers

¾ Cup Oil

1 Package Dry Ranch Buttermilk Salad Dressing

1 Teaspoon Dill, dried

¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder

¼ Teaspoon Lemon Pepper

Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Combine oil with seasonings and coat oyster crackers in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes, stirring half way through.

Fruit Salsa

I got this recipe from a gal I work with, she brought it into the office and it was delicious!!! I made it last night to have with dinner...Oh it's great! Some other things to try with this are pears, blueberries and maybe even some bananas. You could also forego the chips and eat it on some shortcake (like strawberry shortcake)!!!

Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips Recipe from Allrecipes.com

This delicious salsa made with fresh kiwis, apples and berries is a sweet, succulent treat when served on homemade cinnamon tortilla chips. Enjoy it as a summer appetizer or an easy dessert.

Prep Time: 15 Min 
Cook Time: 10 Min
Ready In: 45 Min
 
Ingredients
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

Directions
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Smoothies

This is from an article I write for our local magazine and has Kevin's delicious smoothie recipes on it. Slowly I am getting this blog back up and running!

I recently started a new killer class at our gym that uses steps, barbells, ankle bands, and just about every tool available for a “push it to the limit” workout. More than once I have considered that the instructor had sights on all of us training to be Olympians. At the end of this grueling but exhilarating workout my body craves replenishment, refreshment, and most of all to feel as healthy inside as it feels outside. For this, there is only one cure: a creamy fruit smoothie, which tastes even better when I don’t have to make it myself. However, buying a smoothie after each workout can be quite damaging to the allowance my husband and I give ourselves twice a month.

Thankfully I have an excellent smoothie maker in my own home, one that is both charming, handsome, and does the laundry to boot. For years my husband has concocted and blended smoothies, never measuring, adding what moved him at the moment, and changing up ingredients over the years. I prefer to have a recipe to follow so anytime he travels I miss the smoothies almost as much as I miss him.

For as long as he has made them I, along with others, have asked him to write down the recipe and until now he has only responded with a mysterious shrug. Finally succeeding, I am happy to share this refreshing and healthy treat. For juices we prefer V8 Fusion or V8 Splash. Orange juice also works well. Frozen fruits such as blueberries, strawberries and mangos or peaches go well together. Kashi makes a great protein powder called GoLean and we use the vanilla flavor.

Kevin’s Ultimate Fruit Smoothie

• 1 cup vanilla soy milk or skim milk
• 1 cup of your favorite fruit juice.
• 1 large ripe banana
• 2 cups of your favorite frozen fruit.
• Optional – 2 full spoonfuls of vanilla or plain yogurt
• Optional – 1 scoop of protein powder

Add everything to the blender. If you desire a smoothie that is not quite as thick and cold, defrost the fruit in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Add small amounts of milk or fruit juice to achieve desired thickness. Blend until smooth.

Kevin’s Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

• 2 cups skim or soy milk
• 1 cup ice
• 1 large ripe banana
• A few full spoonfuls of peanut butter
• Optional – 1 scoop protein powder
• Optional – 4 Tablespoons chocolate drink mix

Add to the blender and mix.