Snow, Comfort food and Kicking Back

Tomorrow, after running a few errands, I plan to take down the Christmas decorations outside and straighten up the garage before I put them away. It has either been too co-o-o-ld or snowing so a chore that is usually done right after the New Year was put on hold. Last week we had our first snow day of the new year when 90 schools in a five county area called off school.

I must admit as I saw school district after school district names scrolled across the local news, I was sure my district would be called next. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer and had started out the door when the phone rang. It was the school secretary and she was making sure I knew school had been called off before I made the drive. So I put on my lounging pj's and curled up with a comforter, two cats and a book. Certainly not what I had orginally planned for the day.

A few hours later when the sun came out, I put on my boots, heavy coat, hat and gloves and got to work on the driveway and sidewalks. I still haven't convinced myself that I need a snow blower. I like shoveling snow, go figure. But I knew a treat waited for me inside the house and so I think it added a special impetus.

Earlier I had pulled out the recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks that had been published by the women's group of a local church. I gathered the ingredients for soup, my favorite comfort food on a snowy day and knew it would soon be ready.

Tomato-Basil Soup

8 oz. cream cheese 1 large can V8 juice

28 oz can of stewed tomatoes Dried Basil

1 large onion diced Fresh garlic

1 pint half and half Salt and pepper

6-10 oz cans of tomato soup 1/2 stick butter

(or equivalent in larger size cans)

Process the cheese and stewed tomatoes in blender. Combine the tomato soup and half and half. Add the blender mixture. Add the V8 juice. Saute the onions and garlic in butter. Add seasonings to taste. Cook on low or in a crock-pot until flavors blend about 3 hours.

When I serve the soup to a large group, I have croutons and mozzarella cheese for toppings. However, I like to follow the custom of some local eateries and serve the soup with a slab of corn bread.