Only The Good Friday: Mmm MMM Good Tomato Soup

For my 10th Only The Good Friday, I thought I’d share a tomato soup recipe that’s almost as fast as microwaving a can of soup. Especially because when you put that can in the microwave, it explodes and then you have to clean it up! At least, that’s what happened when I tried it.

This recipe comes from a book my Momma gave me back in 1972, called “Cooking For Two,” by Better Homes and Gardens. See, I was about to get married, and Momma felt really sorry for the man I was marrying. She didn’t think I could cook, because she had never seen me do it. Momma figured that fella was going to starve to death without her intervention.

Oh, Ye of little faith!

My Momma had never seen me cook because I was a teenager! I wasn’t going to cook if someone would feed me! I still feel that way most of the time, but I can cook. Especially if I can find my glasses.

I’ve used many of the recipes in this book over the years. You can tell the ones I like, because the pages are splotched with unidentifiable ingredients. If you don’t like tomatoes, this won’t interest you, so you can go read some of my other Only The Good Friday posts where I don’t mention tomatoes at all.

Here is the recipe the way the book lists it, but after thirty-some-odd years, I don’t cook it this way. I take after my Mamaw, and never follow a recipe exactly.

1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
***
1 8-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine or water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled

Cook celery & onion in butter until tender, but not brown. Blend in the flour. Add remaining ingredients except bacon; cook and stir until slightly thick. Reduce heat; cook slowly 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with bacon. Makes 2 servings.

This recipe assumes that the soup will be served as one course of a meal, but I like to make it to be the whole meal. So, first let me tell you that I double it. Here are some other changes I make:

• When I saute the onions and celery, I usually add about a handful of sliced fresh mushrooms and a clove of garlic.
• I prefer Marsala wine to dry white wine.
• Sometimes I use a can of chicken broth instead of the water and the chicken bouillon.
• I always add a pinch of brown sugar when I cook with tomatoes. It brings out the taste.
• I usually add a dash of Italian herbs and some pepper (it doesn’t need salt).
• I’ve been known to add any leftover corn or beans that are in the refrigerator.
• I NEVER use butter, because I have already fried bacon and have bacon grease — The Nectar of the Gods!

Now, Marcia, you can make this a vegetarian dish by NOT using the chicken bouillon (but definitely spice it up with garlic and Italian herbs) AND, of course you can’t use bacon or the bacon grease. Use croutons instead (and just dream about the bacon).

There you have it: a good tomato soup recipe. I’d show you a picture of the last batch I made, but we slurped it up too fast.

Now it’s your turn. Tell me something good that is going on with you this Friday. You can leave me a comment or write a post about something “good” and come tell me about it (I’ll add your link at the bottom of the page).

And, just so you will know … on Friday, I don’t get to whine or be snarky. I decided that I have to talk about only good things that are going on in my world for one day out of the week. It’s my little way of trying to maintain optimism (because attitude counts!).

Lady Hawk joined in, as well! Welcome to the Only The Good Friday!

Related posts:

1. Potato Chowder. Good Comfort Food.
2. Soup or Salad?
3. Devilishly Delicious Eggs
4. Seven Meals From One Bird
5. Any What Can Cook?

Tagged as: in the kitchen, Only The Good Friday, recipes, tomato soup