Gazpacho

My Dad found this recipe in the Des Moines Register newspaper, and with an abundance of garden veggies, we decided to give it a whirl. Everything in the recipe came from the garden, with the exception of the hot sauce and balsamic vinegar. The garlic I planted didn’t produce, but I’d picked up some really gorgeous organic garlic at the local farmer’s market, so technically it was produced within a few miles of my kitchen 🙂

You can easily adjust the amount up or down depending on how many mouths you have to feed and how many bowls you each will eat. It’s a great cold soup to eat on a warm summer’s day, and it’s a great way to use up produce if you have just a few of this and that in the garden.

Gazpacho

1-1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 red bell peppers (or use whatever peppers you have), stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 small cucumbers (or 1 large one), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 small sweet onion, or 2 large shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

5 cups tomato juice (I used homemade)

8 ice cubes

1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

Extra-virgin olive oil (for serving)

Combine tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt. Season with black pepper to taste. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until veggies release their juice. Add the vinegar, tomato juice, ice cubes, and hot sauce if using. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.

Discard any unmelted ice cubes, and season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold, drizzling individual portions with olive oil. Garnish with extra veggies, croutons, chopped pitted olives, or finely diced avocados if you like.

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In Beef, Paleo, Soups Stews and Chowders on July 4, 2016 with No Comments

Bone Broth

One of the things I’ve always wanted to try making is bone broth or stock to use in various soup and stew recipes. Now that I’ve started my Paleo diet, this is something that is actually encouraged to drink on a daily basis and use in homemade soups. The diet I’m following says to drink 1/2 to 1 cup of bone broth daily. I don’t know if I’ll keep up with it daily, but since it can be frozen, I’ll definitely make up batches to keep on hand in the freezer to make soup quickly.

The recipe I used is salt-free, so if you’re following a low-salt or no-salt diet, this is perfect for you. I will say that the next time I make this I’ll be adding salt to help bring out the flavors. That said, if you decide to salt yours, keep in mind that as the broth simmers, the flavors will concentrate—and this means the salt intensity will increase, so be sure to start low with your amounts. You can always add more later on.

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Make sure you have plenty of time when you set out to make bone broth. I was in a bit of a hurry, and I should have let my bones roast in the oven longer than I did. The recipe said to roast for 15 minutes, and I went for 25 minutes, but I do think it should have roasted longer to achieve that nice dark brown color and flavor you get from long roasting. However, it still is tasty, but I know it will be better next time when I really roast everything before I start simmering it on the stove top.

My recipe comes from The Paleo Cure by Chris Kresser, one of my clients who inspired me to take charge of my health and get started on this Paleo diet. It really is easy to throw together. Once everything is in the pot, you just keep an eye on it and let it do its thing.

Paleo Bone Broth

4 pounds beef bones, preferably marrow and knuckle bones

2 onions, peeled and halved

4 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

4 cloves garlic, peeled

4 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

1 cup fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the bones, onion, and carrots in a roasting pan. Add about 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan so the drippings don’t burn and stick to the pan.

bone broth - bones in pan 2

Roast for 15 minutes or until very well browned.

When everything is nicely roasted, add everything from the roasting pan (scraping the bottom) into a large stockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients, and add enough cold water to completely cover everything.

bone broth in stockpot

Cover, and bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for at least 3 hours.

Strain the stock.

bone broth - strained

When the stock is completely cold, pour it into 1-quart Mason jars, and refrigerate it for later use. It should last about a week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it in bulk or in individual portions in freezer-safe containers.

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In Main Dishes, Soups Stews and Chowders on March 17, 2016 with No Comments

Baked Potato Soup

I love soup and loaded baked potatoes, and I’ve made different versions of a loaded baked potato soup for years. The basic ingredients are usually the same: potatoes, bacon, cheese and sour cream. How you prepare your potatoes varies from recipe to recipe. Some recipes have you peel and dice them, then cook the potatoes in butter until soft. In other recipes, like the one I made tonight, you use already baked potatoes, with the skin on, which not only helps speed up how long it takes to make the soup, but you also get the added fiber, vitamins and minerals found in the potato skins. I’m the first to admit I hate to peel potatoes (can’t hang on to the slippery little devils thanks to the dropsies from carpal tunnel), so anytime I can use a potato in a recipe without peeling it – I’m in.

You can make this soup on the stove, or you can add your ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low all day – just add the sour cream right before serving if you decide to use your Crock-Pot. You can reserve the bacon pieces to garnish each bowl, or you can add it all back into the soup, which I like to do so the bacon flavors the entire soup. You can garnish with green onions and extra shredded cheese if you like. However you make it, your kitchen will smell great, and your family will really enjoy this recipe.

baked potato soup

Baked Potato Soup

4 slices bacon, diced

5 tablespoons butter

6 potatoes, already baked with skins on, roughly diced (microwave them when you’re in a hurry to get dinner on the table)

1 box (32 ounces) Kitchen Stock’s unsalted chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence (optional – I add this to most of my soups)

2 cups milk (approximate)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Green onions, chopped, for garnish (optional)

In a large stockpot, cook diced bacon pieces over medium heat until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

To the same stockpot with the bacon drippings, melt 5 tablespoons butter. Add the roughly diced baked potatoes to the pot, stirring to coat with the butter and bacon drippings. Add the box of chicken stock to the stockpot, and turn the heat down to low. Stir to combine ingredients. Cook over low for about 10 minutes or so, until the soup begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. (Because the potatoes are baked, you shouldn’t need to add any flour or other thickener, as the potatoes will thicken the soup themselves). Add the milk to the soup – this amount may be more or less than stated in the recipe based on how thick or how thin you like your potato soup. Add the shredded cheddar cheese to the soup, and cook over low heat until heated thoroughly and the cheese has melted completely.

Just before serving, stir in the sour cream. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish soup with chopped green onions and additional cheddar cheese or cooked bacon pieces if desired.

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In Main Dishes, Soups Stews and Chowders on February 13, 2016 with 3 Comments

Ham and Split Pea Soup

The only good thing about winter, in my opinion, is the fact that I can make soup whenever I want. It’s the perfect meal on a cold night, and I can get away with only dirtying one pot plus a couple of utensils and a cutting board. It makes dinnertime easy with few dishes to clean up afterwards.

I had some leftover ham in the fridge, and instead of making a potato and ham casserole, which I often do with my leftover ham, I decided to make some ham and split pea soup. The ham was simply leftover ham steak, but if you have smoked ham hocks, they are delicious in this recipe. After a trip to the Stringtown Store in Kalona a few weeks ago, I came home with split peas and other dried goodies, so it was time to use up the peas.

While most soup recipes include celery, I didn’t have any on hand tonight, but you can definitely add a couple stalks of chopped celery to this soup. Just saute the celery with the carrots and the onions at the beginning of the recipe. I also happen to love garlic, and whenever I see onion added to a recipe, I generally toss in a couple cloves of garlic. If your family isn’t crazy about garlic like mine is, you can leave it out, but garlic definitely adds another level of flavor to this soup.

This soup comes together pretty fast, as all you do is chop, saute and let everything simmer together until the peas, potatoes and carrots are nice and soft, which takes about 45 to 50 minutes to happen.

ham and split pea soup in bowls 2

Ham and Split Pea Soup

Extra-virgin olive oil

Half an onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

3 cups diced ham (or use a couple of meaty ham hocks)

2 cups diced potatoes (I leave the skins on for, but you can peel them)

8 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, but Kitchen Basics makes a good unsalted version)

Fresh thyme sprigs

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large stockpot, generously drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil. On medium-high heat, saute the carrots, celery and onions for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and saute an additional minute, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock, diced ham, split peas, potatoes and a couple fresh thyme sprigs. Generously grind some black pepper into the soup, and stir to combine.

Let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the peas are soft. Stir, mashing the mixture against the side of the pot to create a bit of pea puree. Season to taste with salt and additional pepper, if necessary.

ham and split pea soup in pot 2

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In Main Dishes, Soups Stews and Chowders on February 1, 2016 with No Comments

Slow Cooker Lima Bean Soup

I’m always on the lookout for meatless dishes that are easy yet tasty that I can serve my family, hopefully without them missing meat in the dish. I had a package of dried lima beans in my pantry that I needed to do something with, so I went searching for a recipe I thought my family would enjoy. You can crumble some cooked bacon over top when serving if you prefer, but it’s perfectly delicious without it.

I found a lima bean soup recipe through Pinterest, and it linked to the Taste of Home website. Once I saw that, I knew as a subscriber to Taste of Home magazine that the recipe would be good. although I did make a few modifications. While this is delicious as is, it would be equally good adding cooked cubed chicken or some diced ham to the soup if you prefer to have a little meat in your soup.

lima bean soup 2

Slow Cooker Lima Bean Soup

2 boxes (32 ounces each) chicken stock

1 pound dried lima beans (soaked overnight)

3 medium carrots, thinly diced

1 small onion, finely diced

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 celery ribs, finely diced

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup half-and-half cream

3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (optional if going meatless)

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for the half-and-half and the cooked bacon. Cook on high for 6 to 8 hours, or until the lima beans are tender.

Just before you’re ready to serve, add the half-and-half to the soup. Stir to combine, and let heat through. Sprinkle each serving with the cooked and crumbled bacon.

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In Breads and Muffins, Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups Stews and Chowders on January 26, 2016 with No Comments

Pumpernickel Bread and Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

On a winter’s day, I absolutely love having soup for dinner. You only have to dirty one pot, and the possibilities are endless. Pair up a steaming bowl of soup or stew with freshly baked bread, and I’m in heaven.

I love baking all types of breads, but pumpernickel has to be one of my favorites. While I do bake traditional bread recipes, I’ve found that if I use my bread machine, I make bread more often. All I have to do is dump in the ingredients and let the machine do the rest. It’s a time saver, especially when work is busy but I still want fresh bread for dinner.

I usually bake a 2-pound loaf of bread in my machine, but I’ve included the amounts for 1-pound and 1 1/2-pound machines, and I’ve also included the steps to bake the loaves in the oven. This recipe comes from Red Star Yeast, and it’s a good one.

pumpernickel bread loaf

pumpernickel sliced

Dark Pumpernickel Bread

Small (1-pound bread machine)

1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon brewed coffee (room temperature)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon dark molasses

1 1/4 cups bread flour

2/3 cup medium rye flour

4 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons (2/3 package) yeast

Medium (1 1/2-pound bread machine)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brewed coffee (room temperature)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons dark molasses

2 cups bread flour

1 cup medium rye flour

5 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 1/4 teaspoons (one package) yeast

Large (2-pound bread machine)

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon brewed coffee (room temperature)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons dark molasses

2 2/3 cups bread flour

1 1/3 cups medium rye flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon (1⅓ package) yeast

Instructions

Bread Machine Method

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Place ingredients in a pan in the order listed. Select basic or white bread cycle and medium or normal crust. Check dough consistency after 5 minutes of kneading. The dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it is dry and stiff, add water, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too wet and sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.

Mixer Methods

Using ingredient amounts listed for medium loaf, combine 1 cup bread flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, onion powder, and yeast. (Reserve I cup bread flour and all of the rye four.) Combine liquid ingredients and heat to 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hand-Held Mixer Method

Combine dry mixture and liquid ingredients in mixing bowl on low speed. Beat 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. By hand, stir in rye flour and enough of the remaining bread flour to make a firm dough. Knead on floured surface 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Use additional bread flour if necessary.

Stand Mixer Method

Combine dry mixture and liquid ingredients in mixing bowl with paddle or beaters for 4 minutes on medium speed. Gradually add rye flour and enough of the remaining bread flour to form a firm dough. Knead with dough hook(s) 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Food Processor Method

Put dry mixture in processing bowl with steel blade. While the motor is running, add liquid ingredients. Process until mixed. Continue processing, gradually adding rye flour and enough of the remaining bread flour until dough forms a ball.

Rising, Shaping and Baking

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove air bubbles. On lightly floured surface, shape dough into a round loaf. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet or in 8-inch layer cake pan. Cover; let rise in warm place until indentation remains after touching (about 30 minutes). Bake in preheated 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Optional: Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch; heat to boiling. Five minutes before the loaf is finished baking, remove from oven and brush top with cornstarch glaze. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, if desired. Return to oven and bake approximately five more minutes until glaze is glossy and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan; cool before slicing.

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We love to eat at Olive Garden, and one of my oldest son’s favorite things on the menu is the Chicken and Gnocchi Soup. He’s been after me for quite a while now to try to duplicate the recipe, and I think maybe I’ve done it with this recipe. This soup comes together fast. If you have leftover roast chicken, it works perfectly in this recipe.

chicken gnocchi soup in bowl

Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups cream

1/2 cup celery, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup carrots, finely shredded

1/2 cup onion, finely diced

1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

1 teaspoon parsley

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound potato gnocchi (either homemade or store bought)

If using fresh chicken, dice into bite-sized pieces. In a large stockpot, heat about 2 tablespoons good olive oil over medium heat, and add the diced chicken. Cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove cooked chicken from the pot; set aside.

chicken gnocchi soup - cooking chicken

In the same stockpot, saute the onion, celery, garlic, spinach and carrots in the olive oil until the onion is nearly translucent.

chicken gnocchi soup - cooking veggies 2

Add the cooked chicken, chicken broth and spices. Bring to a boil. Slowly add the gnocchi into the boiling broth. Turn down the heat, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the cream. Slowly allow the mixture to come to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Garnish each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

chicken gnocchi soup in pot 2

**To make a slightly thicker soup, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the cream, and mix well before adding the cream to the soup.

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In Breads and Muffins, Soups Stews and Chowders on October 17, 2015 with No Comments

Cheddar Cheese Beer Soup with Sour Cream, Cheese and Garlic Drop Biscuits

I love cheese soup, and although I’ve eaten a lot of it in restaurants over the years, I’ve never made it at home. I decided it was high time I did, so that’s what we had for dinner tonight along with some sour cream, cheddar cheese and garlic drop biscuits. The boys said they both were great, and I could make both again any time.

Cheddar Cheese Beer Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
12 ounces of your favorite beer
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a large stockpot, melt the butter and add the diced onion. Cook over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent but not browned.

Add in the dry mustard and flour, and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes to form a roux.

Add the milk, chicken stock and beer. Add the cayenne pepper, Worchestershire sauce, salt and black pepper, and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the shredded cheddar cheese. Cook over medium heat, and stir frequently until the cheese is completely melted. Adjust salt and black pepper as needed.

Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese and Garlic Drop Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons frozen butter, grated
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farhenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, salt and black pepper./ Cut in the grated butter, and combine until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add the shredded cheddar cheese, and toss to combine.

Stir in the milk and the sour cream. Stir until just combined; don’t overmix.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees Farhenheit for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.

In Chicken, Pasta, Soups Stews and Chowders on October 4, 2015 with No Comments

Italian Chicken and Tortellini Soup

I love making different kinds of soups during the fall, and I spied a few recipes on Pinterest using cheese tortellini. I decided to combine a couple different recipes to make a soup with the ingredients I had on hand, and it turned out great.

Italian Chicken and Tortellini Soup

2 chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
Garlic-infused olive oil
4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided (more or less to your family’s taste)
4 cups chicken stock
1 quart diced tomatoes, drained (I used home canned tomatoes, but you can use store-bought Italian-style tomatoes and adjust the Italian seasoning.)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 package fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini
Salt and black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, drizzle a generous amount of the garlic-infused olive oil. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Italian seasoning over the diced chicken, and combine until the chicken is coated with the seasoning. Brown the diced chicken in the oil until browned.

Add the chicken stock to the saucepot. Add the drained tomatoes to the stockpot along with 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (if using home canned – may omit if using Italian-style tomatoes). Add the chopped spinach, cream cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Stir occasionally until the cream cheese is completely melted and the ingredients are well combined.

Add the frozen tortellini to the stockpot, and cook until the pasta is heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls, and top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

In Soups Stews and Chowders on September 19, 2015 with No Comments

French Onion Soup

Soup is probably one of my most favorite things to make, and French onion soup is one of the best. It’s easy to make, and I cook it on low in the crockpot for several hours until ready to finish in the oven and serve.

I got this recipe from my Dad. Years ago when I was in grade school we took a vacation to Canada and ended up eating dinner in a restaurant in the old section of Montreal. As I remember, Dad loved the French onion soup so much he wrote to Bon Appetit to get the recipe, and I’ve used it ever since.

There are hundreds of recipes out there for French onion soup. This one is very basic and simple, but it’s absolutely delicious.

French Onion Soup

3 large sweet white onions, thinly sliced
8 cups beef broth (homemade is best or use a good quality beef cooking stock)
1 stick butter (not margarine)
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dry vermouth
French bread
Grated Gruyere cheese

In a crockpot, add the beef broth, and turn the crockpot to low.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions, and cook slowly to caramelize the onions, stirring occasionally. You want to develop the flavors and sweetness of the onions, but you don’t want them to overbrown.

When the onions are nicely caramelized, add salt and pepper to taste and the sugar to the onions. Stir until well combined. Add the flour to the onion mixture, and cook until the flour is nicely browned (as if making a roux).

Add the dry vermouth, and stir until the liquid is evaporated.

Add the onion mixture to the beef broth in the crockpot, scraping everything from the pan. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Ladle the soup into ovenproof individual serving crocks. Place a slice of French bread on top of the soup, and cover the top of the bread with the grated Gruyere cheese. Place the soup crocks into the oven, and bake for approximately 7 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbly.

In Canning and Preserving, Homestead Life, Soups Stews and Chowders on August 8, 2014 with No Comments

Canning 101: Fresh Tomato Soup

It’s been a slow tomato season this year. First it was too wet this spring, and this summer really hasn’t been warm enough to ripen the tomatoes. They love heat, and we just haven’t had it here in eastern Iowa. We finally had our first BLTs the other night, and today I had enough tomatoes to can something. I usually can whole tomatoes first, but as we grew celery this year (and it was ready to use), I decided to start off tomato season by making tomato soup.

I first got the recipe years ago from my chiropractor. We’d had a bumper tomato crop, and she shared her favorite tomato soup recipe with us. It was a hit, and I’ve been making it ever since. I’ve posted the recipe below, but I do tweak it a bit. I’ve been making it for years now, and I’ve always used the same heavy-duty stockpot, so any more I really just eyeball the vegetable amounts. I know how full the pot has to be to get so many pints of soup, but to start out, it will be easier for you to follow the recipe. You can adjust ingredients after you go through it the first time to see how many onions or how much celery your family likes in the soup. I usually end up with triple the amount of vegetables. I use 1 stick of butter and add enough chopped onions and celery to completely cover the bottom of my stockpot. Then I fill the rest of the pot up with diced tomatoes and end up with approximately 21 pints of soup. Again, once you try the recipe, you can adjust the vegetable amounts to your liking.

Fresh Tomato Soup

3 onions, diced
1/2 bunch celery, diced
5 quarts diced tomatoes, peeled and cored
1 stick butter (not margarine)
3-4 Tablespoons flour

In a large stockpot, melt butter. Add diced onions and celery. Saute vegetables on medium-low heat until the celery and onions are soft but not brown, approximately 15 minutes.

Add 3-4 Tablespoons flour (add just enough to soak up any liquid in the pan…you just want to bind together all the vegetables). Cook for approximately 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat. This will give the butter/flour mixture a slightly nutty flavor.

Add your diced tomatoes. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the tomatoes have released their juice and it resembles soup (as opposed to simply chopped vegetables), you are ready to can the soup.

Ladle hot soup into hot jars. Add lids and seal.

Process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes (for pints) or 35 minutes (for quarts).

Yield: Approximately 4 quarts.

Canning and Cooking - Iowa Style

Midwestern canning and cooking recipes

Gazpacho

Bone Broth

Baked Potato Soup

Ham and Split Pea Soup

Slow Cooker Lima Bean Soup

Pumpernickel Bread and Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

Cheddar Cheese Beer Soup with Sour Cream, Cheese and Garlic Drop Biscuits

Italian Chicken and Tortellini Soup

French Onion Soup

Canning 101: Fresh Tomato Soup

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