Tomato Bisque Soup with Orzo

One of my favorite things about the cooler weather is the reappearance of soups in the menu again. Soups are so versatile and usually quite simple. They're warm and comforting on chilly days. And they're also perfect for dipping fresh crispy bread - which is always a good thing.

This soup is so flavorful. It is extra tomato-y and wonderfully creamy.

A warning: This soup is also very addicting. My family polished this off in a matter of hours one afternoon... for, you know, that meal between lunch and dinner...

A huge thanks to our wonderful neighbor and friend, Michelle, for sharing this fantastic soup recipe! 

Notes: You could leave the orzo out of this soup, if you don't have any on hand, but I would strongly advise against doing such a thing. (Pasta makes just about everything better, IMHO.) Also, be sure to taste the soup as you're finishing it up to know if it needs any additional sugar or salt. Enjoy!

Adapted from Michelle's recipe

Tomato Bisque Soup with Orzo  

1/2 pound whole-wheat orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 medium onion, diced
sea salt
4 cloves garlic, pressed
8 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2-3 cups water (or vetetable/chicken broth)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3-4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt it, then add the orzo. Cook just until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Set pasta and water aside in separate bowls.

In a large soup pot, heat butter over medium heat until melted and hot. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and a generous heap of salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring often, until just tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, orzo cooking water, 2 cups water (or broth), tomato paste, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Working in batches, transfer the soup to a high-powered blender. Puree until very smooth, then return to pan. (You can also puree the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender, if preferred. I find that this doesn't get the soup quite as smooth as a stand blender does.) Add 3 teaspoons sugar, the cream, and the cooked orzo. Taste and add additional water (or broth), sugar, and salt as needed. Heat through, then serve with a little freshly ground black pepper to garnish.

Yield: Serves 6-8          

This post shared on The Nourishing Gourmet and Beyond the Peel

Baked Pasta with Zucchini, Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil

As today is officially the first day of autumn, I thought we'd say farewell to summer with this great end-of-summer pasta. It uses lots of fresh garden veges, includes a bit of melty cheese, and reminds us just how great the summer produce is. 

Until next year, dear Summer!

P.S. I'm so excited, though. Autumn is my favorite (!!!) season. Bring on the pumpkins, crispy leaves, and corn mazes!

Notes: I've adjusted the proportions in this recipe from the original because 1) it didn't make enough for us, 2) we like tomatoes and garlic, and 3) we also like cheese. Mmmm....

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma 

This post shared on Beyond the Peel and The Nourishing Gourmet

Buttery Tomato Pasta with Garlic & Basil

Tomatoes

Garlic

Butter

Basil

Pasta

Oh, and some salt. (Very important, that salt.)

This is one of those recipes that is deceptively simple. So simple you might wonder how it could be so great. Well, you see, that's just it! The simple flavors shine here and this pasta dish is just the perfect thing for a quick summer meal.

Notes: Since this dish uses just a few ingredients, make sure they are as fresh as can be.

Adapted from Lottie + Doof, originally from Michael Ruhlman

This post shared on The Nourishing Gourmet

Baked Ziti

Today I'd like to share one of those dishes that easily becomes a family favorite. Filled with a rich tomato and cream sauce, oodles of noodles, and plenty of melty cheese, this Ziti is simply the bomb. 

Dot com. 

And my little brothers agree. And sisters. So does Dad. And Mom (she gets a kick our of calling this Zitty [zit-ee].... "Oooh! Good! You made Zitty for dinner!" *Insert my eye-roll here because Mom likes to think she's rather hilarious.*)

Anyway. Thanks to the ever-dependable Cook's Illustrated, we have ourselves a lovely dish of scrumptious Ziti [zee-tee].

Yum.

Notes: I've added a touch of cinnamon to the sauce because I think it adds just a hint of extra flavor without being easily detected as cinnamon. You can leave it out if you prefer. Also, I like to use whole-wheat pasta, but you can obviously use whatever's on hand. I baked my ziti in some of these individual cast iron dishes, just to up the cute factor. Go ahead and bake this pasta in whatever your little heart desires.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, March & April 2009

Baked Ziti 

1 lb. whole milk cottage cheese
2 eggs
3 ounces grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup kosher salt
1 lb. whole-wheat ziti (or other short tubular pasta)

2 tablespoons olive oil
7 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

10 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)

Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in kosher salt and pasta. Cook pasta unil it is just beginning to soften but is not yet cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander. Leave the pot out for use again later.

Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside.

Heat oil and garlic in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and cinnamon (if using). Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and sugar. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

In the now-empty pasta pot, whisk heavy cream (or whole milk) and cornstarch until combined. Heat over medium and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and 3/4 of the mozzarella pieces. Stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

Transfer pasta mixture to the baking dish and pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and remaining Parmesan over top.

Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: Serves 8-10

Toasted Barley Salad with Tomato, Zucchini, & Caramelized Corn

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With autumn just around the corner, I've been frantically using up the glorious summer bounty our garden has so graciously shared this season. The kitchen counter is practically overflowing with squash, green beans, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, bell peppers, basil, raspberries, and other such lovelies.

The bounty of summer is hard to under-appreciate. Nothing compares to biting into a freshly picked, deep red, juicy tomato. Really, nothing quite does. Likewise, an ear of grilled corn slathered with butter and sprinkled with a bit of salt epitomizes summer. All of this and the long, lazy summer evenings on the back porch surrounded by great company are the things I will miss most. 

This end-of-summer salad was inspired by that abundant harvest of fresh produce consuming the kitchen counter. It's kind of like summer on a plate - fresh and bright. I hope you'll enjoy it as we begin our farewells to this wonderful, generous season.

Notes: This kind of salad is the perfect dish for a picnic or a long, lazy summer lunch because it gets better as it sits and marinates in the dressing. Serve it with grilled meats or fish as a side dish, or with plenty of lightly cooked vegetables as a vegetarian main course. The salad is also very open to  adaptations based on what the garden is producing. Feel free to even add some toasted nuts for a bit more crunch.

Adapted from here

Gnocchi with Fresh Basil & Italian Parsley

per·fect gnoc·chi (according to Brooke), n.

1. Light, delicate, billowy dumplings. Crisp on the outside. Creamy, buttery, rich on the inside.

2. A little bit of heaven.

All I want to say today is this: If you can make perfect ricotta, you can make perfect gnocchi.

It's just about that simple.

And then all you have to do is throw in a few handfuls of fresh basil and fragrant parsley and you've got yourself a little bit of gnocchi heaven.

Just sayin'.

Notes: This recipe is best when made with fresh ricotta (as we made here), but I don't see why store-bought wouldn't also work in a pinch. Just keep in mind that the cheese from the grocery store is not as moist as homemade, so I'd start with a little less flour so the gnocchi don't end up too dry or tough. Also, you can serve the gnocchi with whatever toppings or sauces you fancy. I love the simplicity of fresh herbs to really showcase the creamy, buttery flavor of the gnocchi while letting the herbs have a bit of a shining role, too. Any kind of pesto would dress the gnocchi up nicely, as well, or perhaps a simple garlic, tomato, and prosciutto sauce. The possibilities are endless, really, so experiment with whatever your heart desires. One final thing: If you would like to freeze the gnocchi for later use, do so just after cutting the dumpling pieces. Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on a baking pan and place the pan in the freezer. Freeze until solid, about 3 hours. Place the frozen gnocchi in an appropriate container. To cook, boil as directed below, with no need to thaw the dumplings.

Adapted from a recent Instructional Dinner I attended at one of my very favorite restaurants. 

Tomato & Zucchini Tart with Garlic & Basil

I am so anxious for summer to arrive, it's hardly funny. This year has been a crazy one, to say the least, so the summer break promises just that - a little break with lots of warm (hot! yay!) sunshine. Summer also means the garden will be producing tomatoes and zucchini like crazy, of which I will not complain about for one single second.

I made this tart a few weeks ago with summer in mind. Of course, the tomatoes and zucchini came from the local grocery, but as soon as summer hits, I know this tart will taste that much better with just-picked fresh vegetables from out back.

Notes: I really love this crust. I use it all the time when making savory tarts. I love that it uses all whole-grain flour and olive oil. It's tender and flavorful. It's also a great one to add additional herbs to. I might try adding a little fresh basil to the dough next time. Also, this tart will feed five hungry people. I tried to stretch it to 7 one night and Dad was not happy. He wanted more. I like it when people want more... It means I did pretty good, right?

Filling a Flour Sack original 
Tart crust adapted from 101 cookbooks