Creamy Tomato Herb Soup

I'm not going to lie, I love canned tomato soup.

It's warm, comforting and brings me right back to my childhood.

I also love fresh herbs, I seem to add them to anything and everything.

I decided to ditch the can and make an easy and flavorful 

Creamy Tomato Herb Soup.

The tang of the tomatoes, freshness of the herbs 

along with a touch of spice and cream make it a delicious bowlful of comfort.

It is perfect paired with grilled cheese or a salad...

or on it's own with a little fish!

Creamy Tomato and Herb Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 white onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup torn basil
2 tablespoons chopped dill
1 tablespoon fresh oregano

additional herbs for topping
Parmesan cheese

In a large pot heat olive oil and onions.  Cook over medium heat until onions are soft, about 10 minutes, then add garlic and cook another minute or two.  Add tomatoes and chicken stock and season generously with salt, a few grinds of pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil then simmer on medium-low heat about 20 minutes.  Carefully place contents in a blender in small batches and puree until smooth.  Return to pot over low heat and stir in cream and herbs.  Let simmer at least 15 minutes before serving.  Top with fresh herbs and parmesan cheese. (or goldfish crackers!)

5 Fun Fresh Bagel Toppers

Trendy topped toasts are so out, 

it's time to bring bagels back!

They are round, cute and they have a whole in the middle...

load them up with incredible farm fresh cream cheeses, 

herbs, fruits & veggies and toast starts to look really "crumb-y".

Here are 5 fun ways to embellish your bagel...

The Blueberry Bomb

Blueberry all natural cream cheese + whole blueberries + mint leaves

The Italian Job

Herb cream cheese + vine ripe tomatoes + fresh oregano + dash of sea salt

Cool as a Cucumber

Natural Cream Cheese + spiral cut cucumbers + thinly sliced shallots

The Sunny Side

Herb cream cheese + sliced hard boiled egg + snipped chives

EVERYTHING

Natural Cream Cheese + Everything Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's

Viva la Bagel!

Summer Herb Popcorn & 5 shows to Binge Watch eating it

There are 2 things that the end of summer always brings...
an abundance of herbs in my garden and a total lack of programs on regular tv.

My solution?  

Make an amazing bowl of popcorn and binge watch a slew of streaming shows!

Like many thrilling and addictive shows, 

this fresh, tangy, crunchy snack has a secret.

A secret ingredient that is...

dijon mustard.

Combined with melted butter, freshly snipped herbs and a pinch of salt,

 it is an Emmy Award winning bowl of delight.

You just drizzle...

sprinkle...

and you're ready,

for showtime...

So, what have I been watching?

Mr. Robot 

(Season 1 steaming on Amazon Prime and Season 2 on USA)

Dark, intriguing and thought provoking.  

You'll question big business, cyber security, what reality is

 and view "hoodie clad" hackers in a whole new way.

The cast is amazing 

but Rami Malek and Christian Slater "steal" the show.

Stranger Things

(Season 1 streaming on Netflix)

A mixture of ET, Goonies and Stand by Me.  

You will never believe what happens in this small Indiana town in the early 1980's. 

It's spooky, sweet and suspenseful. 

You'll wish you had best friends like these kids and that the Hawkins police chief was on your side.

You may even start eating Eggo Waffles right from the box.

The only bad thing is that it makes me feel old...

Winona Ryder is the wacky, middle aged mom!

Bloodline

(Seasons 1 and 2 streaming on Netflix)

After meeting the Rayburns, you will never think your family is dysfunctional again.  

The black sheep brother returns to his family's Key West inn
and the flood of lies, secrets, rivalries and scars come rushing out.

I would watch anything with Kyle Chandler in it, 

but believe me, this character is nothing like Coach Taylor. 

(from Friday Night Lights... if you haven't watched it, add that to your binge watch list ASAP)

Outlander

(Seasons 1 and 2 on Starz.com)

Lush, green Scotland is the setting for this tale of love, mystery, war and time travel. 

World War II-era nurse Claire Randall, mysteriously travels to 18th century Scotland and finds adventure with the dashing Jamie Fraser.  

It's loaded with kilts, history and family clans,

but the heart of the story is Jamie and Claire's timeless romance.

Parks and Rec

(all 7 seasons streaming on Netflix)

"Treat yo self" and take a trip to Pawnee, Indiana.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll love these nutty people and their quirky hometown.  

So many one-liners and classic sayings, 

you may want to have a notebook handy to write them all down.

Herb Buttery Popcorn

6 cups of popped corn

1 stick of butter

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tsp. fresh parsley leaves

1 tsp. picked thyme leaves

1 tsp. finely chopped rosemary

Kosher salt to taste

Melt butter over low heat on the stove then whisk in mustard.

Drizzle over popped corn, stir to coat and top with herbs and salt.

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Fresh Herb Easter Eggs

I can't believe Easter is almost a week away...

I better hop to it!

Bunnies and Eggs are a must and 

 I'm keeping them fresh and simple with a strategic touch of herbs...

Snips of sage for the ears...

and clipping of chives for the whiskers...

You'd be hard pressed boiled to find an easier dish to serve at brunch!

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The ultimate steak dinner

Our family loves a classic steak dinner.
A juicy cut of meat, a crisp wedge salad, a comforting baked potato...
My kids wouldn't think about any other beverage to have with it than milk.
They say it's the perfect pairing, so I've partnered with Got Milk?,
to try it for myself.
After a decadent meal, guzzled down with milk -
it is unanimous, steak dinners really do love milk!

After numerous bites and deep analysis,

 there are a combination of reasons why it all goes together so well.

The savoriness of the steak, the tanginess of the salad 

and the starchy, salty, creaminess of the loaded potato 

are all a perfect complimented to milk. 

It ties it all together like the perfect, delicious storm.

You could go out to a steak house but it is so easy to do at home. 

(and you have unlimited refills of milk!)

How I cook steaks:

Let steak sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat bottom of cast iron skillet with olive oil and place in oven for at least 10 minutes.

Rub both sides of steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Remove skillet from oven and put on burner set to medium high 

(you may need to add a little more olive oil)

Place steaks in pipping hot skillet and cook about 5 minutes on each side. Depending on how you like your steak cooked and the thickness, cooking times will vary. 

You can check with a meat thermometer : 

Medium Rare should be 130 degrees, Medium 140 and Well Done 160

Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.  

As they rest, I like to top with herbs like fresh thyme and rosemary,  

and then my top secret ingredient...

I squeeze just a touch of lemon over the top, 

the combo of the herbs and lemon add so much brightness and doesn't taste "lemony" at all.

Wedges of crisp, cold iceberg lettuce, topped with blue cheese dressing, 

diced tomatoes and crumbled blue cheese are next on the menu.  

The tanginess pairs perfectly with the savory steak and creamy milk. 

There are many great bottled dressings in the refrigerated produce section of most grocery stores,

 but homemade is always better and a cinch to make...

My Favorite Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Whisk together:

 2 Tablespoons finely chopped shallot

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter milk

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

Then stir in:

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

And a rounding out our meal, a loaded baked potato. 

A spud indulgence, topped with butter, salt, 

sour cream, fresh bacon crumbles and chives...

Next time you have a hankering for hanger, covet chuck or fancy a flank,

make sure you've Got Milk...

it doesn't discriminate, 

it is amazing with any type of steak.

Brought to you by Got Milk?  Food loves milk.

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The perfect way to keep calm - DIY Simmer Bouquets

One of my goals for 2016 is to keep calm.
It's not always easy but,

I love to carve away a little "me time" with a stack of magazines, 

a cozy blanket, a warm drink and light a candle with a soothing smell.

This weekend, while devouring issues of InStyle and Real Simple magazines, 

I was inspired by ideas on how to keep things simple and ways to find calm in our hectic lives.

Everyone needs to take some time out for a peaceful indulgence,
so I made a huge batch of 

Calming Simmer Scents.

Tiny, herb bouquet gifts that can be simmered in water, 

filling the air with a fresh, relaxing scent...

These are totally customizable but I used

sprigs of rosemary and mint with lemon zest...
(lavender would be perfect too)

I layered the herbs...

tied with kitchen twine...

trimmed the ends then topped with a lemon peel knot...

in minutes I had a pile of aromatic "me time" bouquets.

Slipped into muslin bags, it's the perfect treat for everyone on my list.

The easiest way for me to make long lemon peel strips is to thinly cut a piece of lemon...


make a slice in one side then remove the segments and most of the pith using a pairing knife...

So indulge in some magazine "me time", you deserve it!

You can take advantage of $1.00 off participating titles (PEOPLE®, InStyle®, People StyleWatch®, Real Simple®, and Sunset®) with this digital offer until 2/15/16 while supplies last. 

I purchased my magazines at Safeway.

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and InStyle®, Real Simple® but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #NewYearMeTime http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

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