Roasted Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is a cold-weather classic. I've bumped it up a notch using roasted plum tomatoes, basil and chili flakes. The result is a spicy soup with complex flavour. This soup is so thick it could easily double as pasta sauce - I can totally picture this paired with Italian sausage for a smashing lasagna! Try it, it's comfort in a bowl!



Roasted Tomato Soup
Inspired by the Barefoot Contessa

2 lbs plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 tablespoons dried basil
4 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 450oF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tomato halves face up. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes.

Once tomatoes are roasted, heat remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes, until golden-brown. Add canned tomatoes, dried basil, chicken stock and roasted tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for approximately 45 minutes.

Cool in fridge overnight or bring to room temparature. Working in small batches purée soup using blender of food processor.

*Warning: Do not blend hot liquids! Built up steam can blow the lid right of the blender making a nasty mess, not to mention the burns that would result!

Yield: 8 cups

Comforting Lemon Chicken Soup

If you're looking for a comforting chicken soup recipe, look no further! In this recipe, the popular chicken and rice combo is complemented with lemon zest and juice. Pefect when you're feeling under the weather, on a cold day or just because! Enjoy!



1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed (or finely minced)
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can fat free low-sodium cream of chicken soup
6 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2/3 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Heat oil in large stock pot. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic, cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, lemon zest, lemon juice, soup, broth and black pepper; bring to a boil.

Stir in rice and reduce heat. Cover and simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley just before serving.

Panang Curry Chicken Soup

I love Panang curry so when I came across this recipe at The Apartment Kitchen I knew I had to try it asap! It was delicious - warm, comforting, spicy. My favorite element was the cool, creamy avocado slices versus the spiciness of the broth... Yum!!! This one is sure to become a regular!



Inspired by The Apartment Kitchen

1 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can coconut milk (I used light)
5 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp red curry paste
zest and juice of one lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 scallions, very thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup chicken, very thinly sliced

Garnish:
scallions, thinly sliced
avocado, thinly sliced

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, cilantro, and garlic. Cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the red curry, lime zest, and juice.

In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients (except garnish) and cook until chicken is fully cooked and veggies are cooked but still slightly crisp, about 6 minutes. Add to the broth. Simmer until the mixture has reached desired flavor.

Ladle the soup into large bowls and garnish as desired.