More Soup (and a meatloaf)

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I know it seems like all I make is soup these days and frankly, I can't argue with that. This time of year when it is so cold that nobody wants to leave the house, a warm bowl of soup is the perfect remedy. So I made more since it is 14 degrees out! I keep making the roasted tomato soup I posted about so I decided to try a variation, Tomato Balsamic Soup. It is very similar to the process of the other soup but has a broth mixture that you add to the roasting process. You are supposed to add a bit of half and half at the end to make it creamy but I left that part out. I think the next time I would use fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones and maybe add a bit more garlic.

From Cooking Light: Creamy Tomato Balsamic Soup
Cooking the vegetables at the high temperature of 500° caramelizes their natural sugars and deepens their flavor; the liquid poured over them ensures they won't burn. Prepare the soup up to two days ahead; reheat over medium heat before serving.


1 cup less-sodium beef broth, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
Cooking spray
3/4 cup half-and-half
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine 1/2 cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour broth mixture over tomato mixture. Bake at 500° for 50 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned.

Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Garnish with cracked black pepper, if desired.

I also decided to make a meatloaf, my mom makes a great meatloaf and it was a weeknight staple on our mid western dinner table. I tried a variation on the one she makes as hers is a bit more caloric then what I was looking for. I got this recipe from Self magazine. Mix 1/4 pound ground turkey and 1/4 pound lean ground beef with 1/2 cup of oat bran. Add 1/4 cup pureed cannellini beans, 1 egg and 1/8 cup of tomato paste. Toss with 1/2 finely chopped medium onion and 1 chopped garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a loaf pan and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.