What are You Cooking the Week of January 29, 2017?

[Italiancook]

KIDPIZZA, thanks for the tomato soup recipe link. I'll probably try it during the summer, when I can access fresh tomatoes. I had a cup of this week's tomato soup with a grilled cheese for lunch. Believe me, the recipe looks much tastier.

luvpyrpom, I'm curious: Are you saying you canned your syrups? I don't can. I wonder if they can be frozen. The syrups would probably taste better with summer berries than the strawberries I used.

[luvpyrpom]

Italiancook, I'm sure you can freeze the syrups - it's like making freezer jam but without the pectin. I would try a small sample first and see how it thaws. I forgot to mention that I like to use my syrups with oatmeal in the mornings, too. I definitely love to can in the summer as I love the summer fruits. I hope this helps.

[cwcdesign]

On Saturday, I made a batch of the Slow Cooker Honey Ginger Chicken. I think I now have the texture of the sauce right, but I think I want to reduce the quantity a tad. This time I cut up the chicken breasts in large chunks so that it would cook faster. I haven't made it since I went back on SBD in October. The interesting thing is that now I think it's a little too sweet, so I'm thinking either about less honey or finding (or making) a sugar-free or low sugar ketchup. Baker Aunt - I'll post the recipe as I made it this time.

[Italiancook]

Previously, I had reported making Martha Stewart's "Creamy Tomato Soup." I wasn't happy with it, because I had to add sugar. I reluctantly gave a quart of it to the homebound person to whom I give prepared food. I always give her a sheet that details what foods she received and how to reheat them (they're usually all frozen). I wrote that if she didn't like the tomato soup, she should throw it away. Tonight, she declared that it's delicious! I guess this is a case where you're better off not knowing what's in the food. Maybe my dissatisfaction with the taste was just that I knew it had sugar. BTW, Martha's recipe does not say to add sugar. I just did that because it tasted too bitter to me.

I couldn't find the tomato size Martha recommended, so I used my imported-from-Chicago-Italian-imported tomatoes. Probably that accounts for the need for sugar.

Another BTW, Cass, I like your idea of adding rice to the soup. If I hadn't already frozen the soup before you offered that suggestion, I would have made rice, added it to the soup before freezing, and told her it was Tomato & Rice Soup.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Italiancook.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Italiancook.

[Mike Nolan]

Canned tomatoes always taste a little bitter or sour to me, sometimes they add a little citric acid to increase the acidity and help it can better.

I've made tomato soup from scratch during tomato season a couple of times, the variety of tomato used makes a huge difference in the flavor.

[KIDPIZZA]

Italiancook wrote:

Previously, I had reported making Martha Stewart’s “Creamy Tomato Soup.” I wasn’t happy with it, because I had to add sugar. I reluctantly gave a quart of it to the homebound person to whom I give prepared food. I always give her a sheet that details what foods she received and how to reheat them (they’re usually all frozen). I wrote that if she didn’t like the tomato soup, she should throw it away. Tonight, she declared that it’s delicious! I guess this is a case where you’re better off not knowing what’s in the food. Maybe my dissatisfaction with the taste was just that I knew it had sugar. BTW, Martha’s recipe does not say to add sugar. I just did that because it tasted too bitter to me.

I couldn’t find the tomato size Martha recommended, so I used my imported-from-Chicago-Italian-imported tomatoes. Probably that accounts for the need for sugar.

Another BTW, Cass, I like your idea of adding rice to the soup. If I hadn’t already frozen the soup before you offered that suggestion, I would have made rice, added it to the soup before freezing, and told her it was Tomato & Rice Soup.

ITALIAN COOK:
Good morning to you. I first tasted "BASIL TOMATO " soup here at my home about 2, months ago. I never liked tomato soup. But I asked the kitchen to put a dollup or 2 of rice in it It tasted Soooo much better. The basil really adds very good flavor to this acidic soup. I am posting a website for your convience for this soup. I have not made this soup but it sounds like a typical tomato soup. Anyway the BASIL really is a important addition. I do not know what the outcome is of this little tidbit. But if you do not have fresh basil use the dried variety. I did this once & the flakes did not blend well but the good taste was there however....I think it takes the place of sugar somewhat. In tomato soups or tomato sauce for spaghetti it is important to kill that acidic taste. but just employ a small amount of sugar at a time. I use the restaurant packets slowly till I get it just right. Then I stop adding any more sugar. One tip a very very small amount of ground cloves will help any tomato product. It does enhance the tomato flavor. OLD ITALIAN TRICK!!!

How to Make Tomato Basil Soup: A Corner Bakery Soup Knockoff

Please let us know how well you have done for yourself.

Enjoy the day.

~CASS / KIDPIZZA.

[Italiancook]

America Test Kitchen's magazine a while back said that U.S. tomato canners put citric acid in their tomatoes. Italians do not. They claimed that tomatoes with citric acid do not break up during cooking whereas those without the acid break apart. That has been my experience when cooking with U.S. canned tomatoes vs. Italian imports. I much prefer the Italians, because I like the way they "dissolve" in the sauce, soup, or chili.

Today, I made Mariola (broth with omelet bits) from my best Italian cookbook, "The Romnagnolis' Table." It's an easy, quick soup to prepare. I made the open-faced omelets, will cut them up when they're cooled and store for tomorrow's lunch. That reminds me, I have to go now to pull homemade chicken broth from the freezer.

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