Roasted Garlic Soup with French Bread and Broiled Cheese Topping

Holy Moley...oh my....sweet mother of Venus...amazing explosion on the taste buds of wicked awesomeness....I saw this on Smitten Kitchen, and fell in love, and since we had 50 pounds of roma tomatoes that were canned, I saved some to make this soup.  I also made french bread to go on top and then sharp cheddar cheese...oh, my...did I mention holy moley?  The roasted tomatoes were AMAZING I ate a couple of them before I even put them in the soup, and I also roasted the garlic, oh, the smell, the taste!!  along with the freshly baked bread...my house was heaven on earth.  I loved the roasted tomatoes so much, I diced some others, and roasted them, and added more roasted garlic and balsamic vinaigrette so I could make roasted tomato bruschetta.  Oh my...I love my life.  xoxo!

 
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4-6
Soup
3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic,roasted
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 fresh basil leaves
1 cup fat free half and half
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Lid
4 1-inch slices from a large loaf of rye bread, whole wheat sourdough or bread of your choice (or 16 1-inch slices from a baguette), toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste)
Make soup: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (I used 1 full teaspoon of Kosher salt). Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.
Unwrap garlic packet and squeeze four cloves in to blender with tomatoes, tomato juices left in pan and basil leaves and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Create cheddar lid: Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Stir grated onion into the warm soup. (I love this last-minute suggestion of onion.) Float toast slice(s) in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. (If you’re using a wide bowl, you might find that you want more cheese to create a thick, broiled lid.) Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. If you’d like it even more bronzed on top, preheat your broiler and finish soups for a minute or two under it. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Old Reliable" French Bread (for Kitchen Aid Mixers)

Units: US | Metric

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups water (105F to 115 F)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon melted margarine or 1 tablespoon butter
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl.

Add salt, butter, and flour.

Attach bowl& dough hook to mixer, turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute or until well blended.

Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Dough will be sticky.

Put dough in large greased bowl, turning to coat.

Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down and divide in half.

Roll each half into 12" x 15" rectangle.

Roll dough tightly, from longest side, tapering ends, if needed/wanted.

Put loaves on greased baking sheets that have been dusted with cornmeal.

Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

With sharp knife, make 4 diagonal cuts on top of each loaf.

Bake at 450F for 25 minutes, then remove from oven.

Beat egg white and water together and brush each loaf with this mix.

Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer.

Immediately remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/old-reliable-french-bread-for-kitchen-aid-mixers-52289#ixzz1YjbKkzNW