Serving suggestion #1: Serve alone as a light lunch. Top with sour cream and chives. I mix in a little milk with sour cream in a Ziploc bag to be able to drizzle rather than dollop, as I think that makes for a better presentation.
Serving suggestion #2: Serve as an appetizer by placing in small demitasse cups or ramekins and topping with blue cheese crumbles.
Serving suggestion #3: Serve alongside a hearty sandwich. Take a sandwich from good to great by giving it a little extra love in the oven. Preheat at 350 degrees and wrap a sandwich made with your favorite fixings in tinfoil. Heat for about 20 minutes. If you are serving a larger group, slice a medium to large focaccia loaf in half and layer the ingredients inside, wrap in tinfoil and heat, just as you would a single serving sandwich (although allow for more time). Let cool for a bit, and cut individual servings. Serve with these darling tea towels from Little Minnow Designs, a company started by two sisters from Minnesota pursuing a dream of bringing handmade loveliness into the world.
Reality Check. If you look in the picture with the ingredients, you will see that a jar of pesto is included. My original plan was to top the soup with a drizzle or dollop of the basil goodness. It made for a terrible presentation, however, as it looked like dirt, or worse. Please disregard this ingredient and do not go this route (particularly if serving guests).
Recipe
Tomato Red Pepper Cream Soup
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans (14 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
One 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, un-drained
One 8 ounce cream cheese, cut into 8 sections
3 cups milk
2 tablespoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute onion in olive oil until translucent
Add soup, tomatoes, and peppers
Blend and simmer for 20 minutes
Add milk and cream cheese
Continue to cook, stirring often until cheese melts
Add basil, salt and pepper
Cool
Blend in small batches until smooth
Serves 8
lynette jensen
September 24, 2014 at 9:04 am (10 years ago)Photos look good and we know the soup tastes as good as it looks. I think people will like this one. I also checked out Little Minnow. Their site is cute also. I really like the hair twist scarf. Do you think it would work for Ella?
Emily
September 24, 2014 at 11:27 am (10 years ago)Yum! I cannot wait to make this tonight!!!
Emily
September 25, 2014 at 8:52 am (10 years ago)Delicious! Served as a side soup with mini turkey/parm/pesto meatballs and “zoodles” with a tomato thickened portion of the soup as the sauce. So good!! And quick! Thanks Kerry!
Kerry
September 25, 2014 at 9:34 am (10 years ago)Wait, so are you saying you didn’t give your kids mac and cheese last night, like I did? (; Your dinner sounds much better – delicious and healthy! I’m going to need that meatball recipe!
Emily
September 25, 2014 at 10:28 am (10 years ago)Ha! It was Grandparents day at the kid’s school yesterday so they ate with them. But they’ll enjoy a different version of the same tonight. Leftover mini-meatballs with toasted garlic cheesy bread and a little cup of the soup (aka dunking sauce:). Meatball recipe is super easy. I throw 1lb of turkey, half of a 4oz container of shredded cheese, half of a 4oz container of cibo naturals pesto, and of few shakes of glutino “bread” crumbs into a bowl, form into miniballs and put into baking dish, pour a tomato sauce over top. I usually use two cans of tomato sauce and a few swirls of maple syrup but last night used the soup with a can of tomatoes mixed in. Baked covered at 425 until cooked through (usually 20 minutes if the oven is at temp – which it never is when I throw them in so mine take longer:) These also freeze really well so I usually make a double batch and then freeze half (unless S is really hungry that is:) Thanks again! I LOVE the blog and commentary:) xx
Emily
October 25, 2014 at 5:37 pm (10 years ago)This has become my go-to weekend recipe! It’s so quick and versatile! Today I made the soup for lunch served with smashed avocado toast and then saved the leftovers for a chicken tikka masala dinner) just added 2 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of garam masala to the soup and sautéed green peppers, chicken breast, 1/2 tsp of fresh ginger and garlic, then added to the soup, garnished with cilantro over basmati and done) so awesome and easy! Thanks Kerry!
Kerry
October 26, 2014 at 4:45 pm (10 years ago)I love that! I have to try all these awesome variations and side dishes you come up with (yes, avocado toast is considered a side dish in my book!).