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Pork Rack, video coming soon!

Roast Pork Rack, Parsnip Puree, Beets, and bacon golden delicious reduction. Video Coming Soon!

Chicken Vegetable Stir-Fry

Quick, easy, and healthy dinner.

Dinner!

Linguine with Tomato, Mozzarella, Sausage, Peas, and Garbanzo Beans.

Lunch.

Salmon and warm bok choy and carrot slaw with sesame soy vinaigrette.

Sneak Peak

15 Minute Meals: Tomato Soup and Sandwich

Michael (my roommate for the last 4 years) came home today wanting tomato soup. I wasn't intending on cooking anything for dinner (it felt like a "turkey sandwich for dinner" day), but it then dawned on me that I have never made a tomato soup. I know I have the theory to make the soup but I have not experienced the practice. So here it is, my first attempt at tomato soup from scratch, with pantry staples. Done in roughly 15 minutes.

First, you'll need a 28oz can of tomatoes, preferably San Marzano variety (or any high quality canned tomato... or fresh tomatoes if they are in season.) I chopped up two fresh heirlooms and added it to the soup. Fresh tomatoes add a denser texture to the soup which helps to give some life to the soup. It might be nice to peel the tomatoes, but I was lazy.

Add all the tomatoes to a pot and simmer. I added in about 5 cloves of garlic, herbs de provence, dry vermouth, and cognac. Then grab yourself some Parmesan, the rind (the outer edge) of the cheese works great for adding some body, taste, and creaminess to the soup. I added about 3 thumb sized pieces, but add to taste.

Basically all you're doing is adding a bunch of ingredients into a pot and letting it simmer.

I finished with a knob of butter, but olive oil would be nice too (or nothing at all).

Ladle into bowls, garnish with whatever (I had a few leftover onions from the sandwiches and some parsley so I used that...of course basil would be nice, or some crab if you happen to have crab laying around...) You could add a drizzle of olive oil if you wanted to make it really nice. I didn't.

Sandwich is just a normal turkey, cheddar, and onion sandwich on Focaccia. Baked in the oven.

And that's it. 15 minute meal. Rachel Ray eat your heart out!

Overall the soup was pretty nice. It would have been better if I had shopped with tomato soup in mind, but alas I don't really shop with anything in mind. This soup was made with pantry staples for about $3.50-$4.00 for 4-5 servings. Not too bad.

Thanks for reading.