Ina's Gazpacho

To celebrate one of my last nights in Knoxville, and to use up some of our excess tomatoes, my mother whipped up this fantastic soup. I was definitely skeptical the first time I tried this cold tomato soup, but I quickly warmed up to the idea of gazpacho (haha).

This recipe is a classic from Ina Garten. It is so delicious in the summer with fresh veggies and some parmasean-y crackers, which I will post the recipe for soon! The flavors in this soup get better as they chill, so make it plenty of time before you eat it! Enjoy!
-Jillian

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 english cucumber, seeded
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded
• 1 red onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups tomato juice
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste 

Chop veggies into 1 inch cubes, process each vegetable in a food processor until coarsely chopped, make sure not to process too finely (It is good chunky)! Combine in large bowl and add garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Simple Slaw

This week is my last at home in good old Knoxville for a while- Heading out to start a new adventure in Vancouver, BC, on Wednesday! I am crazy excited about starting grad school, but I am definitely sad to leave my favorite people in Knoxville.. This week has been filled with lots of lovely times with my friends and fam. As a last true southern meal (we are transplant Canadians) my dad made some amazing smoked ribs. We ate them with baked potatoes, and this awesome coleslaw! This a simple and delicious recipe that my family has made for years, totally different from the creamy kind you get in restaurants. Definitely worth a try!

-Jillian

Slaw:

• 1 cabbage
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 carrots
• 3 radishes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup oil
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• Pinch garlic powder

Shred and chop ingredients finely. Add dressing to taste. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving. 

Green Garlic Bread!

This is an old favorite, adapted from my favorite cooking lady, Ina Garten. We were set on some garlic bread to go with our pesto dinner, but regular garlic bread is so plain looking! The parsley and oregano not only add a nice flavor, they make the bread look colorful and fun!

- Jillian

• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• ¼ tsp oregano, dried
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 stick butter, room temperature
• ½ baguette
• Pinch of fresh ground pepper

Combine butter, parsley, oregano, garlic, and pepper. Slice baguette almost all they way, leaving some crust connected at the bottom so it stays together. Spread mixture thickly between slices. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Enjoy!

The Perfect Pesto

This is an awesome recipe my mother makes every summer to use up fresh basil from our garden! We have made this sans nuts before for Sarah, and it tasted just as delicious. This recipe is very simple, and it freezes really well (Just leave the parmesan out)! Stir this pesto into hot whole wheat spaghetti, and be sure to add lots of extra parm! Recipe is borrowed from the Canadian Living Cookbook. 

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

2 cloves minced garlic

¼ tsp salt

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Blend basil, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in food processor. Stir in cheese. Enjoy!

- Jillian

Garden Goodies

Every July and August, my house gets bombarded with fresh tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and and all sorts of other things from our garden- Here are some pictures of the fresh produce!

Grandma's Garden Tomato Soup

Tomato soup in the middle of this hot summer may sound a little unnatural- but with fresh tomatoes from the garden and an air-conditioned kitchen, this soup is fantastic! It is definitely not your generic canned soup.. The broth base allows you to throw in huge chunks of tomatoes and all sorts of other great stuff.  This recipe is from my grandma, who has perfected it over the years.. Enjoy!

• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 4+1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 cups chopped tomatoes, peeled if desired
• 2 tsp sugar, as needed
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Saute celery onion, carrot and green pepper in butter until tender. Add broth, tomatoes, sugar, curry powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Optional: If you like a thicker soup, save 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Stir 1/4 cup of flour with the broth in a small bowl. After the soup has cooked for 20 minutes, gradually stir the flour mixture into the soup, bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.