I have been making this Tomato Bisque for years now. My family loves it, it takes less than an hour to make and it is scrumptious. I can't believe I haven't shared it with you before now. It is sure to become a regular on your menu rotation and you will never warm up a can of condensed tomato soup ever again. But you still may use that canned soup in recipes....I do, quite often.
This recipe comes from a cookbook called The Complete Start Your Meal Cookbook by Johna Blinn and published in 1986. I got it when it was brand new so you have some idea how long I have been making this soup. I don't think you can even buy this book any longer, at least I couldn't find one on a google search. I have, of course, adapted the recipe to suit our tastes. I use butter as opposed to the margarine for which it calls. Whatever percentage milk I happen to have on hand and good ol' cracked black pepper instead of white.
I often serve this as a first course to a meal and then enjoy the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day with a grilled cheese sandwich. Today I was out of bread so we enjoyed it with a cheese quesadilla.
Tomato Bisque
adapted from The Complete Start Your Meal Cookbook
2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes (this time I used 2 qt jars of my canned tomatoes)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. onion powder
1/4 t. dried basil leaves, crushed
cracked black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
1 stick butter
1/2 c. flour
4 c. milk
Drain one of the cans of tomatoes, reserving the juices, and set aside. Place the juice plus the other can of tomatoes with it's juices in a large soup pot. Add bouillon cubes, sugar, salt, onion powder, basil, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and force mixture through a sieve or a food mill placed over a bowl.
Melt the butter in the same soup pot over low heat. Add the flour and blend until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil and starts to thicken, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and briskly whisk in the tomato mixture. Add the tomato pieces. Rewarm gently if needed and serve. Print Recipe
Cheese Quesadilla
For each Quesadilla:
2 (6") flour tortillas
1/2 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
2 T. salsa
sour cream or guacamole for garnish if desired
Lay one tortilla on a hot griddle or skillet. Top with the cheese, sprinkle with the salsa and cover with the second tortilla. Let cook until cheese is melted and bottom tortilla starts to crisp. Flip over and cook the other side until it starts to brown and crisp. Cut into quarters and serve with sour cream or guacamole. Print Recipe
Both of these sound like something Harley and I would love. Darian doesn't eat tomato soup. Maybe he would like this one since it isn't canned. I would have never thought of making cheese sandwiches from tortillas!! The girls make pb & j sandwiches from tortillas and roll them up!!
ReplyDeleteThis soup is really good and if Darian doesn't like it that means more for you and Harley.
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