TOMATO FLORENTINE SOUP

Good afternoon neighbor!

I don't know what the weather is like where you are at but it's colder than a witches ... uh, you know, uh, I mean that part of the witches anatomy, oh never mind you get my point. It's COLD here in the Ozarks! It snowed here this morning for pete's sake, it was just in the 60's all last week. That's Ozark weather for you, constantly changing, you don't know if yur comin' or goin'.

But I know that when the cold comes in and it's cold enough to freeze the........WHOA.... I'm not even sure if I can say that on the web. Is there some kind of list out there of words you are not allowed to say over the blog waves? Kind of like the ones for t.v.? Well I had just better shut up my motor mouth and give you'ns this good soup recipe that will be sure to warm you up iffin you got cold like we got cold.

It's a very simple recipe, you start out with this readily available item:

Now it needs to be Tomato Bisque. You just don't get the same results with plain 'ol Tomato Soup.

You will start by melting and very lightly browning 2 tablespoons of butter in medium sauce pan.

Add 1 clove of garlic, minced, saute lightly till garlic is tender.

Add 2 cans of Tomato Bisque Soup, blend well with a whisk till butter and garlic are mixed well.

To each soup can pour can 3/4 full of half-n-half and fill the rest of the way up with cream.
So 3/4 can half-n-half and 1/4 can cream. You can use all half-n-half if you want but it's just not the same and sometimes you just have to cut loose and go for it, you know what I mean?

Blend this into soup and whisk till well blended.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of dried Dill Weed (you might start with 1 tablespoon and then taste to see if you need more). You want to be able to taste that Dill weed good like.

Heat over medium heat stirring frequently to prevent soup from sticking on bottom and scorching.

When soup is heated, pour in bowls to serve and top with home made croutons.


CROUTONS


2 Slices of Texas toast bread ( you can use regular sliced bread just use 3-4 slices).

Butter both sides of both slices of bread with 2 tablespoons of softened butter to which you have added garlic powder to taste, about 1/8 teaspoon.

On a cutting board or plate lay your buttered bread and slice into cubes.


Add these cubes to an iron skillet (regular skillet works too) to which you have melted 1 tablespoon butter (brown slightly) and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Stir bread cubes around so they soak up butter/oil mixture. Turn heat to medium and keep bread cubes stirred around frequently so they brown slightly.

Set skillet with bread cubes into 350 degree oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes stirring croutons every 5 minutes till they are nice and crunchy and browned.


Put 4-5 croutons or more on top of soup. You can store any leftovers (you may want to eat with your soup, they're so good) in air tight container or plastic bag.

This is a very filling soup. You may want to serve a salad with some good bread or a sandwich, or be like me and just have a second bowl of soup. Yum.



Hope it warms you and yourn.