Fresh Tomato Soup

This soup was so-o-o-o good with crunchy  

golden/grilled (pan fried?) cheese sandwiches!

INGREDIENTS* (About 4 servings)

• 4 cups chopped/diced fresh tomatoes (or the equivalent in canned tomatoes?)
• 1 large onion, sliced OR diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste

* Some cooks like to add a little bit of minced garlic to this soup-- some use the canned minced garlic bought in jars; others saute minced fresh garlic in a dab of olive oil, being careful to not burn it.

DIRECTIONS:

• In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the chopped tomatoes, chopped or diced onion and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and gently boil for at least 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors.
• Remove from heat and run the the boiled mixture through a food mill into a large bowl, or pan.  Discard any solids that are left over in the food mill.  (If you do not have a food mill, you could use a stick blender OR regular blender and then strain the mixture afterwards.)
• In an empty kettle, melt the butter over medium heat.  Stir in the flour to make a roux, constantly stirring and cooking until the roux is a very light brown.
• Gradually whisk about a cupful of the hot tomato mixture into the hot and thickened butter/flour roux-- whisk so that no lumps form.
• Add this blended roux into the rest of the hot tomato/onion mixture.  Whisk quickly and thoroughly.
• Season with sugar and salt according to taste.  Serve.

Rocky Road Fudge (Makes almost 5 lbs.!)

Above:  I love 'loaded' fudge-- if you don't, 
you can control that by altering the recipe.

This great (and easy) fudge recipe came our 

way from Paula-- thank you, Paula!

IF you just so happen to know anyone who likes 
fudge,... this is an easy 'GIFT-y" item.

Above: For those who do not like (or cannot eat) nuts, 

add only the mini marshmallows.

I sometimes put the above variation of fudge mixture in 
the 8x8-inch dish; then I quickly add the walnuts 
and fill the 9x13-inch dish, as shown below.

Above: Fudge with a lot of walnut pieces, 
plus the mini marshmallows.

```````````````````````````````````````

Before you begin this recipe, generously butter a 9x13-inch AND an 8x8-inch baking dish for when the fudge is done.

1.  Put 3 cups miniature marshmallows in a shallow container and put into freezer--- freeze until "FROZEN".  You'll add these at the end.  (You can put these in the freezer way ahead of time, if you wish.)  These are frozen ahead of time so that they won't quickly melt INTO the fudge when they're added at the end.

```````````````````````````````````````````

2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the following three ingredients, heat just until melted and blended together and set aside (you could microwave these in a microwave safe bowl for one-minute increments until it's all melted and blendable):

• 20 oz. total (three of the giant-sized?) Hershey OR Symphony OR Dove milk chocolate candy bars (broken into pieces)

• 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer the Ghirardelli brand)

• 1 cup butter (cut into pieces)

``````````````````````````````````````````

3.  Combine the following three ingredients:

• 4 cups white granulated sugar

• 1 can (or 1 and 2/3 cups) evaporated milk

• 2 and 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (not the ones you have frozen) and bring to boil over medium heat. 

Stir constantly to prevent scorching on the bottom.  Continue to cook and stir at a light but steady boil for 7 minutes.  

Remove from heat immediately after 7 minutes.  Pour this very hot mixture over the "set aside" chocolate/butter mixture in the heavy saucepan or bowl.

With a wooden spoon (preferably), stir until chocolate/butter is melted and the mixture is well blended.  Continue to stir* until candy loses 'SOME' of its shine. 

After  few minutes(?), when it has lost 'some' of its shine, stir in the still-frozen 3 cups of miniature marshmallows,  2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1 pound (or less, or none?) walnut halves (once the frozen marshmallows have been added, you don't want to stir long enough to make them soften/melt-- but, to keep their shape).

* If you stir for too long after it loses some of its shine, the fudge will, almost in an instant, start to firm up too quickly and you won't be able to incorporate the frozen marshmallows, vanilla and walnuts.

Immediately pour into the two buttered pans-- one a 9x13", and the other an 8x8".  Cover with Saran wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  (Better yet, double-wrap unused portions first in Saran wrap and then aluminum foil.  Freeze in an air-tight container.  It will stay 'good' for a long time-- IF it survives! ) 

Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h................

 

Phil's "Skinny" Chili

"Over the years, the cooks (from our most local medical center) have tried recipes submitted from other employees.  This one proved to be a favorite."

When I saw this recipe in the recipe book, 

Recipes & Remembrances, 

put together and sold to celebrate the medical center's 75th Anniversary (1931-2006), I was reminded of a very similar chili recipe I often made in the early 1970's.  This particular recipe was submitted by Phillip T. who had been the Radiology Manager at the hospital for a lot of years.  I remember Phillip from when he attended the same grade school and high school that I did.

*My very first real employer (for $$) was for a "hospital building fund".  I worked at that job from June of 1962 until the Spring of 1963 as their one/only secretary-- this was based out of a basement room of the local county courthouse.  When the 'mission' for that was completed, I was 'moved' to work in the main office of the hospital at its present location.... having gotten married in 1963, I continued working there until the Fall of 1963, when I quit to stay home and help with farm chores while awaiting the birth of my (our) first child in 1964.

INGREDIENTS*:

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch celery, chopped
• 1 of 15 oz. can chili beans, undrained
• 2 of 15 oz. bean sprouts, drained and rinsed
• 2 of 15 oz. diced tomatoes
• 1 of 46-ounce tall can tomato juice OR V-8 juice
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Lawry's seasoned salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, rubbed between fingers to release flavor
• 1 tablespoon dried sweet basil leaves, also rubbed between fingers
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 OR 1/3 cup chili powder, OR 1 packet of chili seasoning mix

DIRECTIONS:

Combine beef, onion, green pepper and celery and fry until beef browns.  Drain excess fat and return mixture to 6-quart kettle.  (After I drain excess fat off, I sometimes take a cup of very hot water and pour that over the drained meat, also.)

Add chili beans, bean sprouts, diced tomatoes, tomato juice and ketchup.  Mix well.  Add the salt/pepper, oregano, sweet basil, garlic powder and chili powder.  Mix very well! Cook over low heat for 1 hour.  (Rather than cook it on top the stove and risk scorching what's in the bottom, I prefer to cover and set it in the oven for an hour at 350-degrees.  

I liked this chili recipe in the 1970's, and liked it just as much tonight.  Our little "borrowed' 7-year-old girl asked for seconds because she liked it so much, also.

* The variations I made with this recipe today 

weren't enough to change the end result.   

Enjoy!!!