Now that things have slowed down at work, I’ve managed to find time for all the little things I neglected during the holidays. Here’s a prime example:
Monthly Archives: January 2010
Another Tomato Soup Recipe
There’s a threat of ice and snow sometime between midnight and 3 am, and when it snows around here everything completely shuts down. (I’m keeping my fingers crossed about work tomorrow.) We really need groceries (like, haven’t bought groceries since before Christmas), but whenever there’s a winter weather warning everyone runs to the store to stock up on milk and bread, and I didn’t feel like fighting with all of those people when I got off work earlier. Instead I decided to come home and throw any and everything we had edible into a pot and see what happened, and I’m pretty pleased with the results! I’ll definitely be making this again, even on days when I have groceries in the house.
If you're in special need of comfort food, add a biscuit.
To make this soup, you’ll need:
- 1 T butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 or 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 T red wine vinegar
- 2 28 oz cans of tomatoes (whole, diced, crushed… whatever you have on hand!)
- ¼ C tomato paste
- 6 sun dried tomatoes
- 1 C vegetable stock
- 1 t red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 T brown sugar
- 1 t basil
- 1 t oregano
- 1 t parsley
In a large stock pot, cook the onion and carrot in the butter (over medium heat) until everything is almost caramelized. Add the red wine vinegar, making sure to scrape all the tasty bits from the bottom of the pot. Next, add the tomatoes and tomato juice. If you’re using whole tomatoes, you might want to crush them with your hands (I did), but I’m not too sure this step is necessary since everything will be pureed later. After adding the tomatoes and juice, add the tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, stock, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. (This is a good time to wash the dishes or whip up some biscuits. Mine probably simmered more like 45 minutes or an hour, and I think it was got better each time I snuck a taste.) After adequate simmering has occurred, remove the bay leaf and puree the mixture with a stick blender (my preferred method) or food processor. Be warned: there will probably still be tiny bits of carrot, and overall this is a pretty chunky soup. If you don’t like chunky, leave the carrots out. Anyway, once the mixture has been pureed, add the herbs and return to the heat until you’re ready to serve it (probably no more than another 30 minutes).
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Homemade Holidays: Yoga Mat Tote from Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing
I’m just now getting around to posting some Christmas gifts due to their sensitive nature. This one especially, since it was for my sister Dawn and I knew her surprise would be spoiled if I posted it before Christmas. However, this is really a good anytime gift. It’s surprisingly fast and easy, too; the whole thing took me about thirty minutes.
I used an thrift store shower curtain purchased a couple of years ago.
I read somewhere a while back that pulling out a thread where your cut will be is one of the easiest ways to get a straight line. Let me say that my sewing projects have really improved in appearance since reading this tip, especially projects like this, which are nothing but straight lines. I used a thrifted shower curtain to make the bag, and the purple nylon cord came with the yoga mat, which was also a Christmas gift to Dawn, as some sort of carrying device.
The finished product--with my keys in the pocket so you'll know it's there.
I’ll be making another bag for my sister Demi soon, and I’m thinking about doing some embroidery on that little pocket. Any other suggestions are appreciated!
Another shot of the finished product, with the yoga mat peeping out of the top.
The pattern is from Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing. I purchased the book when I was in New York a few summers ago, and I keep coming back to it because everything is so do-able. When you don’t have a lot of time, simplicity really matters in choosing a pattern.
One of the best purchases I've made!