best tomato soup ever!

creamy tomato soup. this is the BEST tomato soup i’ve ever had. super simple to make. adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution. i made mine stove top. get your can opener ready and get on with it! here’s how:

you’ll need:

2 T butter
3 14.5 cans diced tomatoes (i used 2 regular & 1 fire roasted)
1 onion, minced
1 T brown sugar
1 T tomato paste
3 cups boxed chicken or veg stock
2 bay leaves
white pepper
pinch of cayenne
2 t dry sherry
heavy cream

you’ll do:

mince onion. open cans.

melt butter in a dutch oven or heavy bottom soup pot over medium high heat. add onion, brown sugar, tomato paste and ½ t of salt & cook until onions are softened. add tomatoes. add ½ t salt, bay leaves, white pepper & cayenne. bring to a boil. add stock. bring to a boil, reduce heat and place lid ajar on pot.

simmer for 45 minutes.

remove bay leaves.

use immersion blender and puree soup. taste and adjust salt. stir in sherry and add addtional stock if soup is too thick. heat through. ladle into bowl. add about 1 T of heavy cream to bowl & stir. serve. eat. YUM.

copper kitchen rod

copper rod holding my collection of colanders & strainers.

cut & modified copper end cap.

copper kitchen rod. for $13.52 and 4 minutes installation time, you too can have a copper kitchen rod to hang items above the kitchen sink. i love me & the rod. here’s how:

measure between the cabinets. go to fuller & sons hardware. ask them to cut the ½” copper pipe and drill 1 hole into the center of each copper bracket. 1 bracket had to be cut & modified. see photo. fuller & sons did all the cutting & drilling for me.

you’ll need:

1 ½” copper “hard type” pipe - cut to length you need ($10.68)
2 copper ¾” brackets - both w/a hole drilled into the center for the screw &1 copper end cap must be modified, see photo (.89¢ each)
2 screws (.12¢)
level
marking pencil
phillips screw driver or
1 drill with phillips drill bit
packet of S hooks - i bought mine at the container store ($3.99)
 

i hung the copper bar 3½” from top of each cabinet and 4” from face of each cabinet. yours will probably be different. hang bar high enough so items don’t get in your way while you are at the sink.

you’ll do:

copper end cap.

measure and mark where you will drill the bracket into place. again, mine is 3½” from top of cabinet and 4” from face of cabinet.

put full end cap onto pencil mark and screw into place. place bar into cap and use the level to make sure the mark on the other cabinet is level. i had to adjust mine a bit. using one hand, remove bar while holding & keeping modified cap in place. pencil mark the adjusted spot or just go for it like i did and screw the modified end cap into place.

slide the copper bar into place.

hang S hooks on the copper bar. hang cookware on S hooks.

done.

fuller & sons hardware

900 main street

501 604 7575

the root café

the root café @ 1500 south main street

reuben w sweet potato fries & almond square

the root café. years in the making, the root café is now open at 15th & south main. the building is eco friendly ~ sporting rooftop greenery. the landscaping hosts edible plants. the outdoor eating space is covered to shield you from the elements and has several cute mismatched tables & chairs. inside, the café reveals a thoughtful and inviting decor. and, the food is super yummy. but, let me begin with my rant about SQUATTERS. ordering at the root is much like ordering at vinos or the flying fish ~ one stands in line, places an order and finds a seat. i am cool with this system. it’s the squatters that have me in a twist. so, let’s define a squatter: squatters are assholes that sit down and claim a table before any one in their party has ordered. this screws up the flow for everyone. if you are a squatter, you are a self centered asshole. got it? back to the root café: i chose the reuben ($7.95) with sweet potato fries ($1.75), ginger lemonade ($2.50) & an almond square ($?) for dessert. the reuben came with a small spring mix salad with homemade dressing and blackberries! delicious! the sammie was toasted, not greasy, and super yum with house made thousand island dressing. the ginger lemonade was refreshing and not too sweet. the almond square was akin to a lemon square but better! the root sources local ingredients from familiar faces that sell at the argenta farmers market each saturday. breads & buns come from across the street at boulevard bread. the root café is open 7-2:30 and 8-3:30 on saturday. so, stop by for a latté in the morning. and if you see a squatter - give ‘em the evil eye.

the root café

1500 south main

501 414 0423

prosciutto & swiss cheese baguette

a simple delicious sammie. this is as basic and delicious as a sammie gets. not the overstuffed sloppy mess in which you are accustomed. start with the best ingredients and you’ll be transported instantly to paris. promise. you may tempted to americanize this with more meat, too much cheese or by adding tomatoes --- don’t. & nowhere did i write this is authentic. i wrote: delicious. here’s how:

you’ll need:

1 boulevard bread baguette
2 slices swiss cheese, lovingly sliced by the guy at whole foods that wears the beard hat.
3 slices prosciutto, sliced paper thin
maille mustard
butter

you’ll do:

really? you need help with this part?