BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE TOMATO SOUP

FROM THE KITCHEN OF BETTI'S BEEHIVE

TOMATO SOUP

1 medium yellow onion peeled and chopped

1/4C or less olive oil

2 28 oz Can Italian plum peeled tomatoes IMPORTED (not usa grown)

1 qt chicken stock

1 clove garlic minced

salt and pepper

pesto

optional: 1   15.5oz can white beans or 1/2C cooked rice

1) In a large saute pan ( I use cast iron) heat the oil and cook the onions with salt & pepper until translucent (about five minutes)

2) Slowly using your fingers break up the tomatoes and add the "chopped tomatoes & their juices to the onion mixture,  continue to cook on a medium heat for about ten to fifteen minutes.

3) Meanwhile in a stockpot add the chicken broth and simmer.

ONIONS COOKING UNTIL TRANSLUCENT

ADDING THE TOMATOES SLOWLY

THE CORRECT TOMATOES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE 

SOUP ALL READY TO BE LADLED  AND GARNISHED WITH PESTO

CREATING IN RHODE ISLAND

SNOW BLANKED THE GROUND AND THE AIR WAS VERY COLD & CRISP AS WE APPROACHED THE SHARED DRIVE WAY IN RHODE ISLAND.  THE BIG BLUE FISH FLAG WAVED TO WELCOMED US BACK TO TRACY'S HOME.  INSIDE WAS COZY & COMFORTING WITH THE SCENT OF HOT STEAMING COFFEE INVITING US IN..... WE WERE ENTERING THE ZONE OF HAPPINESS..... A WEEKEND GET A WAY, CREATING  BOOKS & JOURNALS WITH THE ART GIRLZ.  A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLORS AND DOLLIES, DANCED IN EVERY DIRECTION AS WE TOURED THE NEWLY PAINTED AND UPDATED STUDIO.  SQUEALS OF DELIGHT WERE EMERGING FROM EVERYONE AS WE REUNITED.  IT WAS A MOST DEVINE DAY.... AND OH HOW IT FLY BY.... WITH PAINTBRUSHES SWOOSHING, SEWING MACHINE HUMMING, GIRLS GIGGLING,CROP A DILS SQUEEZING, AND WONDERFUL FOOD ENERGIZING....TWO AND A HALF DAYS OF BUSY BEES..... LEARNING AND CREATING

LINDA'S ANGLE CREATIONS (ONE HAD BZ'S NAME ON IT AND THE OTHER KATHI  N)

A SCARRY BABY WEARING A CLOTH CROWN A LA  TRACY

SURPRISE HOME MADE GOODIES GREETED US  AT UN EXPECTED TIMES

DOLLIES GALOUR 

MAKING ORIGAMI CRANES

IRONING MEMORIES OF SUMMER (PRESSED LEAVES & FLOWERS)

ALL SMILES AFTER A DE LISH DINNER

LESSONS IN DANGLES

A PAGE IN LORETTA'S BOOK

HAND DECORATED PAPERS FILLED EVERYONES BOOKS

KATHI'S  BIRD IS THE WORD WITH LEAF TABS

A "LOVE" TREE 

PANORAMA VIEW OF A LESSON

MISS DUKE AND MISS LINDA ARE ALL SMILES

WORKING WITH METAL TO MAKE JUMP RINGS AND BEAD DANGLES

HOW TO ATTACH A WOVEN YARN BAUBLE

COLOR THEA BOLD, BRIGHT & BRILLANT

S'WONDERFUL TO HAVE ELLEN PLAY WITH US

EILEEN ADDING A BUTTON

THE CREATIVE COVER OF NACY MC BRIDE.... LOVE THE WEAVING

MADDY'S COVER WITH MY SCAREY DOLLY

EYE CANDY IN STEFFI'S BOOK

LOVE THE COLOR COMBO AND SWIRLS OF  LOEPY'S BOOK

EXUBERANCE OF COLOR FROM THEA

BUTTONS AND BEADS ADORN SANDI'S BOOK

GETTING READY TO SAY GOOD BYE, WHY DO WEEKENDS GO BY SO FAST?

HAMING IT UP WITH MADDIE & STEFFI

AND SO ANOTHER WONDERFUL WEEKEND WITH THE ARTGIRLZ ENDED WITH OF COURSE A STOP TO STARBUCKS

TO THE GANGING : THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FABULOUS GIFTIES
TO THE MASTERS: THANK YOU, THANK YOU..... REST UP AS THE "NEXT EVENT" WILL BEE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.....

A NIGHT OF APPLES and HONEY

"The ZUCKER GIRLS OUT DID THEMSELVES ". The duo of BZ & JORDAN, chefs for the family & friends evening dinner party to usher in the new year, were very pleased with the success of their endeavors. Kudos to their fabulous contributors Laney & Beansie. Menu for the evening:
Naturally an opening blessing over the wine, challah, honey & apples
We started with: grilled kale, ricotta & plum salad served with crostini of grilled tuna nicoise oozing with baby pear tomatoes from the local farmers market.
Next course was lamb & figs with honey & rosemary (plucked fresh from Jordan's garden) served with corn pudding that included pancetta & chanterelles. Poor B'wana we forgot the signature dish of Brussels sprouts with garlic & ginger in the fridge ( thanks for all that hard work bwana)
D sert was amazing! Apple cinnamon rice pudding pops, b
Beansie's zucchini apple bread & ( it ain't LA without it) Suzicakes red velvet( oops my hips just enlarged just by the thought of it) Cake
Of course lots of wine, laughter & good cheer was had by all

PEACHES AND KALE

 LAST SUMMER THE HIT DINNER AT MY HOUSE WAS A PEACH AND KALE PIZZA......I  KNOW, I KNOW  SOME WILL SAY YUCK,  BUT TRUTH BE TOLD THE COMBO WAS A TERRIFIC WINNER.  THE SWEETNESS OF THE JUICY RIPE PEACHES AND THE BITTERNESS OF THE FRESH BABY KALE WALTZED IN YOUR MOUTH AND TURNED INTO A CHA CHA WITH THE MELTED MOZZARELLA AND CRISPINESS OF THE BARBECUED CHARRED CRUST.  OK ENOUGH OF MY INSPIRATION.. IT WAS TOO DAMN HOT FOR PIZZA SO I DEVELOPED THE FLAVORS INTO A FISH DINNER.
 BLACK COD WITH PEACHES AND KALE
 2 6OZ BLACK COD FILLET ( YES YOU CAN USE ANOTHER FISH)
1 ONION CHOPPED ( SEE PHOTOS FOR EASY TECHNIQUE
I PEACH CUT INTO 12THS
1 BUNCH OF KALE, WASHED AND CUT INTO STRIPS
SALT & PEPPER
1/4 C OLIVE OIL
2T SAFFLOWER OIL OR ANY VERY MILD TASTING OIL
2T BALSAMIC VINEGAR

PRE HEAT OVEN TO 500 DEGREES ( AT LEAST 10 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING)

WHILE WAITING FOR THE OVEN TO HEAT UP, PEEL THE PAPER SKIN OF THE ONION AND CUT OF THE BLOOM END NOT THE ROOT END SHOWN IN THIS PICTURE

IN A LIPPED COOKIE SHEET LINED WITH TIN FOIL ADD 1 TO 2 T OLIVE OIL,  ADD CLEAN FISH FILLETS AND DRAG BOTH SIDES IN OIL TO COAT, PLACE ON TIN SKIN SIDE DOWN.  SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER

                                           

WITH A SHARP KNIFE ( KEY WORD IS SHARP) I  USED A PAIRING KNIFE  CUT "WEDGES"  STARTING FROM THE STEM END DOWN TO THE ROOT END ALL THE WAY AROUND THE ONION

TURN THE ONION ON IT'S SIDE, AND WITH A CHEFS KNIFE ( LARGER KNIFE)  STARTING FROM THE STEM END, SLICE DOWN

VOILA! YOUR ONION IS IN SMALL BITS READY TO USE
IN A LARGE SAUTE PAN ( I  LOVE CAST IRON, IT'S INEXPENSIVE, AND HEATS EVENLY AND QUICKLY)  HEAT 2T OLIVE OIL, ADD ONIONS, SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER AND SAUTE UNTIL WILTED ( ABOUT TWO OR THREE MINUTES) NOW ADD PREPARED COOK SHEET TO OVEN TO COOK FISH

IN A COLANDER  WASH KALE,  SHAKE EXCESS WATER OUT AND ADD TO COOKED ONIONS.  SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER

I USE TWO WOODEN SPOONS, SPATULAS WORK WELL ALSO  TOSS, TOSS, TOSS TOSS UNTIL KALE IS COOKED BUT STILL BRIGHT GREEN ( ABOUT TO OR THREE MINUTES ON MEDIUM FLAME) TURN HEAT OFF

IN ANOTHER SAUTE PAN ADD 2T SAFFLOWER OIL AND HEAT.  ADD PEACHES IN ONE LAYER, SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER AND SAUTE ABOUT 2 MINUTES EACH SIDE  SO THAT THEY CARAMELIZE A BIT ( TURN GOLDEN ON EDGES ( SEE FINISHED PHOTO)  ADD ONE TO TWO TABLESPOONS BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND  COOK AN ADDITION MINUTE OR TWO  ( UNTIL VINEGAR BUBBLES) TURN OFF HEAT NOT TO BURN

REMOVE FISH FROM OVEN IT SHOULD LOOK FLAKY, YET MOIST.  THIS WAS COOKED 7 MINUTES.  IT WILL DEPEND ON THE THICKNESS OF YOUR FILLET FOR COOKING TIME (BETWEEN 7 & 10 MINUTES AVERAGE) DO NOT OVER COOK.... CHECK AT ONE TO TWO MINUTE INTERVALS 

PLATING THE DINNER,  WITH TONGS ADD THE COOKED KALE TO THE CENTER OF YOUR DISH, TOP WITH  A FISH FILLET, GARNISH WITH THE PEACHES.... FRESH CHOPPED PARSLEY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY FINAL EMBELLISHMENT ( DANG I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THE HOUSE)

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE DINNER, YOU COULD ADD A SMALL AMOUT OF CUBED MOZZARELLA TO THE TOP ALSO

NOT ONLY, MOUTH WATERING, BUT SUPER FAST AND GREAT FOR YOU ( DON'T TELL THE KIDS) 

 HOPE YOU ENJOYED, UNTIL NEXT TIME HUGS