I'm not really a fan of tomato soup. If you've read my blog about black bean soup you'll know why. I guess it's not in my DNA. When my husband and I were dating he and his parents came over to my house for dinner. My mother had made her famous Shepard's pie (recipe to follow). My husband loves Shepard's pie.......made with tomato soup. At our house this was sin - of the worst kind. He even insulted my mother by asking for ketchup to put on it (they still have the same relationship).

Since then Matthew has learned that you don't even eat tomato soup on it's own, let alone put it in something! This was law set in stone, until one day he brought home some tomato soup with roasted red peppers. He said it was just for him, that he wanted some comfort food. Well, if anyone understands comfort food I do so I said nothing, I even tried it - then I was hooked! It was soo good! It didn't have that "hit ya in the back of the throat" tang every time you swallowed like regular tomato soup did. And it was so sweet and creamy.

While I still declare that Shepard's pie should NOT be made with tomato soup. This tomato soup has won me over.

2 tb EVOO

1 clove chopped garlic

3 - 14oz cans of diced tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

salt

1/2 c unflavored "milk"

2 tb vinegar (red wine is best)

sugar to taste

Put the red peppers under the broiler, turning till broiled on all sides. Let cool, then core and cut. In a large pot saute the chopped peppers and garlic in the EVOO. Add the tomatoes, milk, broth, salt and vinegar. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour everything into the blender or food processor. Use a dish towel instead of the lid or IT WILL EXPLODE! Bend till creamy. Return to the stove to cook for a few minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Anyone who knows me knows I AM NOT a baker! This comes from despising exact measurements. This is why I failed math....1/4 is close to 1/3.....1,that's just 1 away from 2, that's close...what's the difference? I also can't stand following recipes exactly. It cramps my creative flowage. For most recipes I just read the recipe, get a general idea what it's supposed to taste like and then I let the buds lead. I go to the fridge and see what I have that would work and wait like everyone else to see what comes out at the end. I guess you could say I like surprises. This is why I'm a cook, not a baker.

Baking requires the letter of the law....I'm more of a spirit of the law kind of gal, if you know what I mean. This of course, has gotten me in trouble from time to time. For example, we were having the LDS missionaries over for dinner. One had previously mentioned that he loved Utah scones (ya, they're actually called that. To the rest of the world scones are more of a biscuit thing...I guess Utah's just a little different...in more than one way). Having been a missionary myself, I knew what it meant to have some comfort food every once in a while so I decided to make some. Well, after adding a pinch of this and a dash of that they were flat gobs of goo....this signaled they needed more flour, which made them hard rocks of goo. I thought they would soften as they cooked in the oil, so into the pan they went where 4 "scones" quickly soaked up ruffly a 1/2 quart of oil. The missionaries had just arrive so I had no choice but to serve them. One bite and oil came squirting out. The missionaries insisted they were delicious but I quickly took them back to the kitchen vowing to never bake again!

This is why Matthew is the baker at our house. Matthew is THE baker man - I love to watch him in the kitchen! rar! He makes these great pita pockets from a no-fail recipe for wheat bread. We've had some amazing meals with these pockets. This is just one to wet your whistle.

1 pita per person

sliced cucumber

1 carrot

sprouts

sunflower seeds

green onion

cabbage

cherry tomatoes

Homemade hummus or veganaise

Slice in half, toast, and open your pitas, Lather the inside with hummus (yum, you could stop right there). Now, in a food processor place everything but the sprouts and cherry tomatoes. Pulse once or twice just to chop everything but leave it chunky. Slice the tomatoes in half. Fill your pocket with the mixture and slip in a few tomato halves and sprouts. Can you just feel the raw goodness?