Today as I was making delicious Tomato Soup, using the bounty of Tomatoes we have in the garden this year, I couldn't help thinking about my mom. Everything I know about cooking, canning, preserving, I learned from her example.
Especially when I added the chicken stock to the recipe below with the ease of opening a can.I know that my mom would not have to use a store bought ingredient filled with preservatives, because she would always have her own stock-base of chicken or beef in a quart jar ready to add into her recipes.
To make the Theresa's Chicken or Beef Stock, she would take any leftover meat and bones, add water, bring it to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes. She would strain the bones and meat and put the stock in quart jars ready for making soups, gravies, and etc. She would usually make enough to fill just 1 quart that she would use throughout the week.
So, thinking of mom, here is my attempt to keep her memory alive as I use those delicious fruits and vegetables growing in my garden as I make one of my favorite of all comfort foods!
Freezer Tomato Soup
Chop:3 fresh onions
6 gloves garlic
6 small garden (or 2 regular size) carrots
2 celery stalks (or celery seed)
1 green pepper if desired (my husband asks me to leave these out)
Pult 1/4 olive oil in a stock pot, add the chopped ingredients and sauté for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are soften and the onion begins to clear.
Add:
2 cups chicken stock or broth (Theresa's homemade if you can)
3 T. Sugar
2 T. Salt
2 T. Basil
2 T. Celery seeds (If you don't have celery handy)
1 tsp. Thyme
Continue to simmer the ingredients.
Add:
16 cups chopped fresh garden tomatoes, stir, and bring to a soft boil. Simmer at boiling for about 15 minutes.
Take the soup from the burner and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. When cooled, put the soup in your mixer to blend the ingredients together and make a smooth consistency.
Place the soup into your freezer containers and let cool for about 20 minutes. (This is where I begin my next batch if I am blessed with the great crop of tomatoes I am this year.
Put the lids on the tomato soup and freeze.
Ready to Use:
Simply pull the soup out of the freezer the night before and it will be ready to heat and serve.
