10/29/13

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup





Every year on Halloween, it was a trick to get the kids to eat real food before going out in the neighborhood to collect treats. My rules on Halloween (besides stay in the neighborhood, don't run, say "thank you" after screaming trick or treat and don't eat the candy till we inspect it) were:
1. Eat dinner before you go out. 
2. Eat a few pieces of candy that night, then put the stash away until the next day. There was a limit on how much candy you could eat each day, something like 3-5 pieces.

Then I grew a new brain, and came up with the new Foster Family Halloween standard:
1. Eat a bowl of home made chicken noodle soup and buttermilk scones before going out. Invite your friends over to eat with you. Amazing how your kids will actually eat dinner if their friends are with them, and they're eating something they love. 
2. Eat the candy you gathered that night ASAP, therefore alleviating your mother the hassle of policing how much candy you eat every day for the following month. The bulk of treats were usually gone in a day or two. 
If you're looking for an easy fix for dinner on Halloween, try this recipe. I Pinned it a while back, made it and loved it. After you take the blender to the ingredients, the kids will never know they are eating something healthy.
Happy Halloween!




Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup
adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen
print recipe

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large carrots, scrubbed or 2 cups baby carrots
2 medium sweet onions, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
3 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 quart chicken (or vegetable) broth
10 basil leaves, fresh, plus a few more for garnish
Fresh grated Parmesan for garnish
Slow cooker:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. Allow the soup to cool slightly.  using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Or puree in batches in a blender. Serve immediately, or keep on low until ready to eat.
Stove-top version:
Combine all ingredients in a heavy lidded pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low, and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. Allow the soup to cool slightly. Then puree as instructed above. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

Tips:
If you like a creamier version, omit about 1 cup of the chicken broth and add milk or half and half.

8 comments:

  1. this is just screamig, "dunk grilled cheese in me!" looks amazing! thanks as always

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay,
      Jake eats grilled cheese and tomato soup AT LEAST once a week. It's his favorite snack :)

      Delete
  2. bahahaha. this was so us. and we had to wear a coat over our halloween costume too, always! such a mean mom ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, I almost wrote about the coat thing, but knew one of my kids would comment on it...
      Mean Moms Rule!!!!

      Delete
  3. Sounds like good parenting to me. We had the same rules only our kids and their friends begged for broccoli cheese soup each year (go figure). It must have been the cheese.
    I love tomato soup and still have a few in the garden believe it or not. I need to try this one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love broccoli cheese too! If I had any fresh tomatoes, I'd be doing a happy dance :)

      Delete
  4. Any good healthy bread recipes available that would go well with this soup? Sure looks good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never mind. Looked under the index and found some yummy looking Spinach Herb Twists that should go nicely with this. Not as healthy as I wanted but I'll just have one twist, I promise.

      Can't wait for some new holiday goodies recipes and now is just the right time to make the Super Simple Pecan Pie. I won't be able to eat it myself but I can lick the spoon right?

      Delete

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