Nordstrom's Summer Tomato & Basil Soup

I go to the Nordstrom's Cafe just to eat this soup!  It's so good with a little parmesan and basil on top and a crostini.  Yum!!  Since I love this soup so much I bought the Norstrom's cookbook to get the recipe.  This is a classic!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. dried basil

3 cans (28 oz. each) whole Italian-style tomatoes in puree

1 can (14 ½ oz.) low-sodium chicken broth

2 c. heavy whipping cream

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut into fine ribbons

In a 6- to 8-quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the carrots, onion and dried basil and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, including the puree, and the broth and bring just to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.  Remove from the heat.  Puree the soup in the saucepan using a wand type immersion blender or working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, add the cream, and place over medium heat.  Warm until heated through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and garnish with fresh basil.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8 to 10.

April's Grain Free Stuffed Peppers

April Lowe


I made this recipe up when I started cutting back on grains and gluten in my diet.  I wanted a good stuffed pepper without the rice but didn't like all of the Paleo recipes I found so this recipe is the end result of that experimentation.  Don't tell Andy there's no rice!  He still hasn't figured it out!

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb all natural pork sausage (looking for one like all natural Jimmy Dean they sell at Costco)
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
1-2 tsp. montreal steak seasoning (or a really good all purpose steak seasoning)

salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. green onion, sliced
2 c. tomato sauce (2 cans)
2 c. cauliflower rice (take a head of cauliflower raw to your cheese grater and grate the head until you have 2 c.)
4 lg - 6 med green peppers

Remove tops from peppers and hollow.  Brown meat and then remove from pan and set aside. Saute onion and garlic in a little oil until just browned then add chopped tomato and saute for 2-3 min. Add meat back in and the spices, green onion, cauliflower rice, and 1 c. of the tomato sauce. Cook about 3-4 min. Scoop filling into hollowed peppers and put in pan. Add about 1/2 to 1 inch of water to bottom of the pan.  Pour remaining cup of tomato sauce over the top of all the peppers and bake at 350 for 40 min or until peppers are tender.  Can add more tomato sauce if you like your peppers more soupy.

Sliced Tomato Vinaigrette

April Lowe

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This is light and refreshing in the summer, especially with garden fresh tomatoes!  It's another recipe from the Pendulum Court restaurant at the Eyring Science Center on BYU campus.

3 medium tomatoes, raw

1/8 tsp. garlic in water, chopped

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. mustard

2½ Tbsp. corn oil

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. distilled vinegar

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Slice tomatoes.  Line slices overlapping in a small casserole dish.  Combine other ingredients.  Pour dressing over tomatoes.  Keep chilled.

Delicious Tomato Salsa

Krista Schimmelbusch

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1 large can S&W chopped tomato

½ sweet white onion, coarsely chopped

½ bunch cilantro

½ - 1 jalapeno pepper

2 cloves garlic, or to taste

¼ tsp. cumin

1-2 tsp. salt

Juice of one lemon

Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until blended.

*This recipe was given to Krista by her friend Jennifer Smith.  It is delicious and always gets many compliments.  It has also turned into Andy and April's favorite salsa since getting the recipe from Krista!

Aunt Peggy's Cowboy Caviar

April Lowe

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3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 can white corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of green onion to taste

1 Italian dressing mix made as directed on package

* can add avocados and/or lime juice if desired

Mix ingredients together.  Chill and serve with baked chips or over a Southwestern dish.