Table of three

I don't know how it happened but suddenly I find myself the mother of a little boy who is almost one. I feel like I blinked and the past 11 months happened. They've been a crazy 11 months but a crazy wonderful 11 months at that.

My days mostly revolve around feeding Sam; pureeing, chopping, slicing, and grating things into little bites. Now that he eats more I've really found my way around the kitchen again. I've been restocking and organizing the pantry, shopping for new jars and containers and making room in the cupboards for dishes that have fish and whales printed on them. It's not always easy keeping up with introducing new and well balanced foods but it has been so good for me and for us as a family. I love being in the kitchen. The movements and actions; whisking, stirring, grating, bring me comfort.

I know right now eating a homemade dinner doesn't mean anything to Sam but someday he'll understand and I want to instil these habits now. Sam is eating more table food which means we can eat as three these days and this really excites me. Most weekends I have a little more time to bring our meals together. Today, before we went for our walk I made us this hearty kale soup. I might not have as much time every night and even if it means we are sitting around the table eating tuna sandwiches, it's still homemade and that's important to me.

Hearty Tuscan Soup
Chatelaine Magazine

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
540 ml can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 796 ml can diced tomatoes
2 cups packed chopped kale
Homemade or store bought croutons
Chopped fresh basil
Chopped Parmesan

Heat a large pot over medium. Add oil, then onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 min. Add broth, water, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered for 10 min. Stir in kale and continue simmering until kale is just tender, about 5 more min.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with croutons, basil and Parmesan.

Ease into it

Yesterday, when Ryan, Sam and I were out for a walk I couldn't get over how many leaves were on the ground. It blew my mind that we were surrounded by oranges, reds and golds instead of bright greens. I looked at houses with Hallowe'en decorations and was puzzled by why these people were decorating so early. And then it hit me...it's October.
How did that happen??
  
I feel like yesterday was August and we were taking Sam on his first boat ride. September came and went and I didn't even notice. Now that I've officially realized it's fall, I think it is only fitting that I make this soup. It is from Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook. I've tried a few of her recipes now and have enjoyed every single one. Ryan hates tomatoes and he happily ate this soup, so that has to be saying something.

If you are like me and are still stuck in between seasons, make this soup, snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and try to ease yourself into it. Before we know it those decorations I saw will be red and green instead of black and orange.

Slow Roasted Tomato Soup

from My Father's Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow

serves 4

 

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

16 pieces (8 whole tomatoes) slow roasted tomatoes

olive oil

salt

 

Heat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Cut the tomatoes in half, place skin side down and drizzle with olive oil until all tomatoes are covered. Sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 3 to 5 hours or until tomatoes are shriveled, but still juicy. When done, allow the pan to cool.

 

Slow Roasted Tomato Soup

 

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more as desired)

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 fresh, large basil leaves (4 whole, 2 chopped)

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juices

1 1/2 cups milk

salt

ground pepper (I used 1/4 teaspoon)

 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for two minutes. Add 4 of the basil leaves, canned tomatoes and juice, and 1/2 can of water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer it uncovered for 40 minutes. As it simmers gently break apart the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. After cooking stir in the slow-roasted tomatoes with any juices. Stir in the milk and whiz with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

 

I added a laughing cow cheese triangle to each of our bowls and some chopped basil leaves. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper.

Fall in Love

Before I start I have to say this picture does not do this dish justice!

It seems I am not fulfilling my one post a week goal. I don’t mean to make excuses for myself but as August began to slip away I felt the need to capture as much summer sun as I could (in hopes to store some for those cold february nights). We filled our last days of summer with corn fests, bbq’s and camping – if you haven’t been to kilarney provincial park you really must go.

Now that labour day weekend has come and gone, I am ready to let go of summer. I am happily trading in my sun dresses and flip flops for cardigans and raincoats. I like curling up on the couch with a quilt and hearing the wind chimes blow in the crisp breeze. Fall evenings are perfect for taking walks and in a few weeks the leaves will change and swoosh beneath my feet.

So it is with pleasure that I welcome fall, and that I make in its honor slow roasted tomatoes.

My fall list…

pick apples
carve a pumpkin
eat pizza and orange pop halloween night
watch a scary movie
decorate the house for fall
go on a hayride
buy sunflowers
brew cider
make spaghetti sauce
have a fall bonfire and snuggle
rake leaves
roast tomatoes (check)
make caramel apples
make hand print turkeys with rylee
call an old friend
bake soft pretzels
have breakfast for dinner
walk in the leaves
learn to quilt or knit
take a road trip
do some early christmas shopping
bake apple crisp
baked potato soup. enough said
stay in my pajamas all day long

Luisa Weiss’s Tomatoes filled with Rice

4 large, good-tasting tomatoes
1 small yellow onion, diced
olive oil
1/3 cup arborio rice
1/3 cup water
3 fresh basil leaves
salt
breadcrumbs


Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out the insides. Chop the pulp and reserve (along with all the liquid and seeds). Dice a small onion and saute in olive oil. After it has softened, add 1/3 cup of arborio rice to the pan and stir that around for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomato pulp and add all of it, as well as 1/3 cup of water, to the onion and rice, fold in a few torn basil leaves and a sprinkling of salt, lower the heat and simmer the rice, covered, for 10 minutes.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees, spoon the mixture into the tomatoes, put them in a small, oiled baking dish, top with breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil, and bake for an hour and 15 minutes. I also added quartered mini potatoes and put them around the base of the tomatoes before putting them in the oven.