Mmm-Mmm good (...gawd do not eat that crap in a can!)

Once upon a time there was a very little girl who wanted to go to story hour at the library, and she got all dressed up.  Not in her fancy-patched hand-me-down jeans, but in an actual dress.  Her mother said she needed to eat lunch first, and all her siblings gathered around the table.  Being all dressed up made the little girl feel much too big and important to sit on her baby chair, and she insisted on sitting on a regular one.  Of course, this meant that the hot soup was way too high to reach, and somehow, the bowl flipped, and scalding liquid covered her beautiful dress.  The last thing she remembers of that day was screaming while being almost instantly lifted from behind and whisked toward the kitchen sink.  She has never again eaten Campbell's Tomato Soup (baaaad soup).  She still loves libraries, and every once in a while, she even wears a dress. 

Homemade tomato soup.  Broccoli garnish optional.  Was not going to let lunch get cold while I ran to the store to buy parsley for a photo, slacker that I am.

Actually, the reason I've never eaten store-bought tomato soup is that I think it tastes sort of pasty.  For as long as I can remember, my version of tomato soup has been to just heat diced canned tomatoes and add some herbs.  It's pretty good, but it has that sharpness. 

I was thinking about this recently, and it occurred to me to use pureed carrots, both to add body, and to smooth out the flavor.  The idea came from habanero hot sauces, which are usually carrot based.  I added a few more veggies, along with the carrots, and I'm really pleased with it. Thick, smooth, and no pasty fillers, or un-food ingredients.  Spring has finally arrived, but evenings are still cool, so this soup is a great way to warm your tummy (from the INSIDE).  Throw an audio book on the CD or Mp3 player while you cook, and you've got story hour, too!

Almost instant Tomato Soup

   Finely chop or coarsely grate, then saute (in a little olive oil) until soft, and even a little brown:
1/2 medium-large onion
4 stalks celery
2 large carrots
1 tsp (1 clove) minced garlic


   Toss in, and stir to wilt:
2 big handfuls of spinach leaves
1 tsp tarragon

  Puree in blender with:
1 large can of diced or crushed tomatoes

  Heat in saucepan with:
1 quart chicken broth, vegetable stock, or water

That's all there is to it.  Soup's on!

Now, of course that's not the end of the story.  At least not for the recipe.  This is great left over, but what if you don't want tomato soup again?  Stir in crumbled cooked hamburger or other chopped, cooked meat and a diced baked potato, add a handful of left-over green beans or broccoli,  and kiss those Chunky Soups good-bye.  Don't want soup? Toss it in a skillet and simmer it for a few minutes to evaporate the liquid back out (or skip the broth/stock/water in the first place).  Now you have a great sauce for an omelet or steak...

Souper Sauce on a broccoli and mushroom omelet.

Want Italian?   Just add some basil and oregano, maybe a little more garlic, and you have pasta sauce.  Cook it just a bit thicker, and it's pizza sauce.  Mexican?  Cumin, chili powder, and some cooked pinto or kidney beans.  I could keep going, but it's after midnight, which is way past my bedtime, so write your own ending!