Creamy Tomatoe Soup

Today was a rainy, cold windy fall day, what better way to spend it then warming up the house with a homemade soup.

This is a recipe that my Mom used to make all the time.  It’s quite simple and very delicious!

Homemade Cream of Tomatoe Soup

2-3 tbsp butter

1 medium onion diced

2 tsp flour

2-3 cups milk or cream

2 large cans of diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

In pot #1 melt butter and saute onion in a large pot until translucent.  Add flour to make a thick paste.  Add milk, simmer until warm.

Pot #1

In pot #2 a warm tomatoes with sugar in another large pot, just until warm.

Pot #2

Add baking powder and stir….***tomatoe will start to bubble and foam almost doubling, this is why you needed the big pot.

At this point pour the warm foaming tomatoes into the warm milk mixture, stir and simmer.

NOTE: you must pour tomatoes into the milk, if you pour the milk into the tomatoes it will curdle, I don’t know why, but it does.

It is a lovely soup.  I make a healthy version using skim milk, that is why it appears thin in the photo, BUT is originally made with milk or cream which makes a lovely creamy soup.  Keeps well and is nice reheated.

October 31, 2009 – Just Some Impressions and Updates

October 31, 2009 – Just Some Impressions and Updates

My shower has been fixed!  Oh, the pleasures of a nice hot shower!

The crowds have thinned.  Apparently it really was the remains of the Diwali Holiday crowd still vacationing until the beginning of the week.  Much quieter and pleasanter to walk around now.

Dates and dates:  I had another date last night – was taken out for Italian dinner. And I am now on my way out to a breakfast date!  I am getting very popular in my old age – and I love it!

I’ve mentioned this before in my blog posts over the years, but the feeling of Divine presence is felt everywhere in India, in the simplest gestures.  A couple of my favorites are the merchant who will touch the money he has just been paid to his forehead in thanks to God for the sale, before placing it in his cash box.  And the merchant, who upon opening his shop in the morning will use certain gestures of blessing over the doorstep to intone abundance and good prospects for the business day from God.  Always the awareness of God and gratitude to Him.  So unlike the Western world.

Notes from a few days ago:

Just had the best kicheri since coming to India, after eating in several places and not really cheap…and guess where it was?  Right here in my own house.  I cooked it myself!  Such a blessing to have the opportunity to cook.  I have to not be lazy and cook more often.  So far I’ve had vegetable soup twice, pasta once, oatmeal (with dried raisins, almonds, cinnamon and apples) several times, and today’s kicheri.  Just lovely.

And more recent:

Tonight I am invited to a wedding, and the groom is sending a car and driver to pick up whatever people want to come from around here and have no way of getting there, so I am planning to go.  Will try and take pictures and write about it tomorrow

And finally yesterday:

After my late night got up fairly early for some reason, had a nice breakfast, bought myself a new book to read and fell back to sleep…slept for a couple of hours, and now, sitting outside in clear fresh air on my rooftop, listening to music, reading, drinking coffee and something sweet, after giving my room a thorough cleaning after being here two weeks.  Feeling really pleased with myself, and tonight I am invited out for Italian dinner.

I will post the full story of the wedding at a future date, but it was fabulous.  Suffice it to say now, that I was given many opportunities to experience joy to the fullest, and I took advantage of each and every one of them gratefully-including dancing like a fool just for the fun of it and not caring what anyone thought of me!!   Also this was a good opportunity to test once more the new me, my release from fears and my ability to truly be spontaneous, and I received a perfect score of 100% in all areas!!!  More details in another post which will take me time to write up.

מודה אני לפניך לך שידעת, לך ששמעת, את שבקשה נפשי

This is song now playing on my random selection of music….out of over 4000 songs,, chosen for me especially at this moment…. “I give thanks to You – to You who knows, to You who hears, all that my soul desires.”

The peace I get from just sitting here with the mountains opposite and the crows cawing, the butterflies around and the lovely breeze to give relief from the sun which is still quite hot despite the cooler temperatures – well, what can I say?  I am so blessed and so grateful for each and every moment of my wonderful life.

Namaste

Jane

 

 

racquetball madness.

Today I went babysitting with my little sister…we didn’t have a lot of kids, but it was still fun♥

I learned that the writing on little cars is called “tattoos”.  The little boy took his car to the tattoo parlour.  I kind of blushed as we drove our little cars over to make believe shop.  Funny thing life can be.

Then we walked over to the soup kitchen, which turned into some sort of Divine intervention…because today the kitchen crew decided not to show up.  I was encouraged by that.

I am freezing right now.  I am always cold.  I don’t like it.

This afternoon we get to go to the last soccer game of the season.  Which, I am supposed to be making cookies for right now..but, I’m blogging.  *i will make them soon*

Then tonight we get to head over to the racquetball court and get rid of some craziness.  I’ve never played before, so I’m a bit nervous.  People keep telling me that they almost got knocked out, or got a bloody nose.  So I am afraid of all the craziness.  I think it will be fun though.  I’m pretty excited about it(o:

And then I get to sleep…which I am really excited about. ♥

Are you doing anything exciting today?

love…

ria♥

p.s. Dear Future husband:  I hope you come soon, because really... I am always cold.

Car repairs and Coconut Oil

I ordered 3 jars of premium virgin coconut oil from the Coconut Oil Company in Keighley, West Yorkshire on Tuesday. I am really pleased with the service so far. Not only is it exceptional quality (as per reading customer testimonials) they also deliver it to you by courier remarkably quickly. As I received an email from them yesterday informing me that my order would be delivered on Thursday, I am already agreeing that the customer service is second to none. Good stuff!

I’ve also ordered myself a 30ml amber dropper bottle so that I can decant some of the precious coconut oil into it to enable me to use it on my face. From what I have read, this stuff is magical on you skin. Botox? who needs shit like that – use coconut oil. Totally natural, heals, protects and nourishes the skin and from what some have said, removes wrinkles! We shall see huh?

The 30ml amber bottle I ordered:

To enable me to use it on my hair with little mess, I will be decanting some for scalp and hair use into this:

AND, of course I will be cooking with it, using it in salad dressings and the plan is to also try it spread on toast, like I would normally do with butter. Researching on the web tells me that eating it off a spoon or spread on toast, it tastes like fluffy ice-cream. Huh, we shall see. I shall let you know if it tastes great or makes you gag lol

On a different note; I took my car into the garage yesterday. Needed new brake shoes and pads and a brake fluid change. Got her back after 4 hours and she is now purring like a kitten.

Picked up a few things whilst shopping – a Playstation 3 game that I have bought as a gift for a loved one.

Anyhow, time for me to go eat. I’ve not had my breakfast yet and my tummy is rumbling.

Eat This: Goat Cheese and Sweet Pea Ravs

Today, I am very excited to share with you all a delicious little recipe that I created myself.  Yes, I’m very proud, thank you.  Earlier in the year I had a completely spontaneous thought.  You see, I’d started to switch from regular pastas (bleached flour=bad) to whole wheat pastas (whole wheat=good).  These are easy to find in any grocery store, and that was all well and good for a while.  What I wanted, though, was a more creative whole wheat pasta and so I came up with the idea for a whole wheat ravioli with a goat cheese and sweet pea filling.  Now, I am not a pasta chef, much less any kind of trained cook, but I do enjoy my time in the kitchen and like to try making new delicious things.  I set about researching homemade pasta recipes first and created the filling portion entirely from scratch.  The sauce was adapted from a few recipes for cream sauces with various herbs and I chose the sage because its what was fresh in my house at the time.

Whole Wheat Goat Cheese & Sweet Pea Ravioli (makes about 6 dozen raviolis)

Dough:                                                                                              Filling:

3 C whole wheat flour                                                                 2 C goat cheese, softened

3 C unbleached white flour                                                      2 C ricotta, part-skim

1 C plus water                                                                                2 T olive oil

4 eggs                                                                                                2 T garlic, minced

salt and pepper                                                                             1.5 C+ peas, fresh or frozen (thawed)

salt and pepper to taste

To make dough, blend flours, salt and pepper in large mixing bowl.  Form a deep well in the center of the flour mixture.  Add eggs to well and beat with a fork.  Gradually whisk flour from sides of well in with the egg mixture; dough will be crumbly.  Slowly add water, 1-2 Tbsp at a time.  Work mixture after each addition.  Add water until right texture is achieved.

Lightly flour a work surface and knead dough for 5-10 minutes.  If it becomes crumbly, lightly spray with warm water.  After kneading, form dough into a ball and let sit for 15 minutes.

To make filling, blend all ingredients in a food processor for best mix.  You can adjust the quantities to your personal taste.

To make raviolis, flour your work surface and rolling pin.  Roll a section of dough into a rectangle and to desired thickness.  Visually divide the rectangle in half lengthwise; you will work with the half closer to you.  Drop a generous spoonful of filling mixture onto sheet about 2 inches apart down the length of the sheet.  Fold back half of dough over front half so that edges meet approximately.  Carefully press and seal edges around filling pocket – this is critical!

The shape of the ravioli is up to you – I made some squares just using a pasta cutter and then some rounds using a cookie cutter.  Have fun with it!  Once you’re done cutting, set raviolis aside to prepare sauce.

**Remember, when cooking fresh pasta, you don’t need to cook for the 8-10 minutes that dried pasta requires!

Sauce:

4 T butter

1/2 C chopped walnuts

1/2 C chopped leeks

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 C dry white wine

1/2 pint plus whipping cream

1/4 chopped fresh sage

salt and pepper

To make sauce, melt 2 T butter in large skillet over med-high heat.  Add walnuts and cook until brown and fragrant, stirring – about 3 minutes.  Remove from pan.

Add remaining 2 T butter, leeks and garlic.  Saute for 1 minute.  Stir in wine and cream and bring to a boil.  Cook over med-high heat until thickened, about 4 minutes.  Stir in sage, salt and pepper.  Add walnuts.

Serve over cooked ravioli.

Date scones

 The long weekend provided a great excuse to get across to the Sounds again. Just the two of us, so a peaceful, relaxing time with only birds for company. Some gardening, some work around the property, but nothing too arduous. And a fair bit of eating. Decided one day that I’d make date scones. After all, how hard could it be? Pulled out the old Edmonds Cookbook and found the recipe. Make a soft dough, divide it in half. Roll out one half, stud with dates, then roll out the other half & place on top. Problem #1. What does a ‘soft dough’ look like? Mine was certainly soft, but would perhaps more accurately be described as soggy. The intelligent thing I suppose would have been to add more flour. But I didn’t, just persevered. The first half of the dough rolled out okay but, despite generous sprinklings of flour, seemed pretty glued to the board. So was the second half. Problem #2. How to get one glued-on rolled-out dough sheet on top of another date-studded ditto?? With a bit of scraping with a spatula and a helping hand, literally, it flopped on top, in a sad-looking mound. Teased it out to sort of cover the bottom layer, but then … Problem #3. It all had to transfer to a baking tray. Placed the baking tray on top, turned the board upside down … Oh dear, it didn’t look pretty, and no way could it be cut into scone sizes with a knife. Nothing for it but to bung it in the oven and hope. The miracle didn’t happen. Well, it did cook, and the end result was decently date-filled, but rather flat in appearance & rubbery in texture. Still, hot out of the oven & dripping with butter, they weren’t too bad. But why didn’t I just make a basic scone dough & mix in a generous quantity of chopped dates, I wonder? That’s what I’d expected to be doing. Shouldn’t have trusted the recipe! But at least I may be a little less critical, or a little more appreciative, of the date scones I encounter in cafés in the future. And will try again, doing things MY way next time. 

 

 

respite

I seem to have regained control for the moment.  I woke up with chest pains this morning, but my pulse is back to a more manageable 86 bpm.  It’s still higher than normal, but I don’t feel like I’m choking anymore.

I decided that the best thing I could do today was try and focus on something fun, so I decided to do some cooking!  So far, I’ve made some nut butter bread, banana hazelnut cake, and coconut flour banana pancakes (for breakfast this week).  In a couple minutes, I’ll put on a pot of chili for dinner, and I’m also planning on making this apple crisp for dessert.  I’ll make a few changes to the crisp recipe – use butter instead of grapeseed oil, and honey instead of agave nectar.  It’s one of DH’s favorite desserts, so hopefully it comes out okay.

All of the recipes are, of course, gluten-free.  I’ve been wanting something to spread butter on, so I thought I’d try the bread.  I have a couple recipes for bread – another uses almond flour – so if this one doesn’t come out great I can try again.

The weather was just gorgeous today – cool and sunny.  The leaves have almost all changed around our property, so the view out of our back windows is beautiful.  I’m not looking forward to all the leaf cleanup, but I’ll worry about that some other time .