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PIGS IN A BLANKET

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Football season is here!  So is football snacks season — bring on the dips, chips, nachos, and fried things of all sorts.  Not long ago I rediscovered a favorite from my youth — pigs in a blanket.  Think this humble snack isn’t worthy?  Hogwash!  They’re simple to make and disappear quickly.  Your guests will squeal with delight when they see a platter of these tasty little treats — watch out for those who try to hog them. Pigs in a Blanket are perfect for enjoying while you watch your team toss the pigskin around.

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PIGS IN A BLANKET
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Ingredients
  • 1 8-oz tube crescent rolls
  • 1 12-oz package mini cocktail franks
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • Coarse salt and/or everything but the bagel seasoning, for sprinkling on top
  • Mustard and/or ketchup for dipping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Unroll crescent roll sheets and tear or cut into triangles along perforations. Cut each triangle lengthwise into 3 thinner triangles.
  3. Place a cocktail frank on the larger end of each triangle and roll up.
  4. Place wrapped franks on a medium baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle lightly with salt or everything but the bagel seasoning. (Note: I like to do half with salt, half with the seasoning.). Bake until dough is lightly golden, approximately 12-15 minutes.
  5. Serve hot with mustard and/or ketchup.

ROASTED GARLIC AND TOMATO SOUP

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I’ve missed blogging the past few months.  But sometimes life gets in the way.  And we’ve been stuck in what feels like an endless cycle of joy-sucking events — our beloved dog Jasper died after not eating for 16 days, 3 hospitalizations including one major surgery (and one to go) for long-standing complications of diverticulitis, not to mention record-breaking heat and drought.  Thankfully there have been a few bright spots — most notably an upcoming wedding and a new puppy.  But more on those in future posts.

One thing I learned in the course of these hospitalizations is that they give you a bag on admission:

They’ll tell you it’s for your personal belongings, but the truth is it’s for your modesty — yep, go ahead and place it in the bag along with your clothes and shoes.  Being an extremely modest person, this was something I had to come to grips with, as strangers came in my room by the boatload demanding to look at parts that haven’t seen light in decades.  So fun.

Keeping things simple, here is a modest recipe for Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup, which is best this time of year while tomatoes are still gloriously in season and bursting with flavor.  The recipe is based on one from Caprial Pence, who I used to watch on PBS many years ago. Unlike many tomato soups, it does not call for butter or cream, but it is the balsamic vinegar that really sets it apart from other tomato soups.  You could also serve it chilled, like a gazpacho, for a refreshing change.

 

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ROASTED GARLIC AND TOMATO SOUP
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Ingredients
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 4 shallots, peeled
  • 2-3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored
  • 2 stems fresh rosemary
  • ½ bunch fresh thyme
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 14.5 cans chicken broth
  • 8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, optional (for serving)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place garlic, shallots, tomatoes, rosemary, and thyme in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 40 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to blacken.
  3. Place the roasted vegetables and herbs, along with any pan juices, in a large stock pot. Add balsamic vinegar and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced by approximately ⅓. Discard rosemary and thyme.
  4. Puree the soup using a stick blender (or in batches in a food processor or blender). Strain soup, if desired, to remove any tough tomato skins.
  5. Return soup to pot, add basil, and simmer until heated through. Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese, if desired, just before serving.

 

Ready for the oven

Roasted goodness

Soup is good food