cravings

Tonight I am craving Fresh tomato soup and warm french bread all from SCRATCH.

Thanks to my talented chef friends (Ellen and Charla) I am in the process of making this delicious meal and to satisfy a hard working "starving when he gets home from school" husband. I find SO much joy in the kitchen. I love baking/cooking for my dear husband while the sound of piano music fills my home. The taste of something fresh made from scratch in your own kitchen is pure heaven.

Here are the recipes: (you're welcome.)

RECIPE FROM INA GARTEN VIA THE FOOD NETWORK.

"SERIOUSLY THE BEST TOMATO SOUP I'VE EVER HAD. NO JOKES" ~ Ellen R.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
• 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus juliennedbasilleaves, for garnish
• 3 cups chicken stock,preferably homemade
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Croutons, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add theonions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes,sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, andsimmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

French Bread ala Moi

2 ½ cups very warm water

2T sugar

1 T salt

2 T cooking oil

6 cups flour

2 pkg dry yeast (2 T)

Into a large warm mixing bowl, pour in warm water then stir in sugar, salt, oil, half the flour and then the yeast. Beat vigorously 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until all dry ingredients are completely mixed in. Leave spoon right in the heavy batter.

All the dough to rest 10 minutes, then stir down. Repeat this until the dough has been stirred down five times.

Turn the dough onto a floured board. Knead only enough to coat the dough with flour so it can be handled. Divide into two parts. Roll each part into a rectangle shape about 9 x 12 and then roll up like a jelly roll – rolling from the long side. Pinch edge of loaf to seal the dough. Arrange lengthwise on a large cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for two loaves. Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

With a very sharp knife, cut three slashes at an angle on the top and then brush entire surface with a slightly beaten whole egg.

Bake immediately at 400 F for 25 – 30 minutes or until brown. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks.