Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho is a cold, tomato based soup

I make only in August when the

summer vegetables are at perfection here

in Michigan.

But, you can make it any time of year

using canned tomatoes which are

packaged during prime ripeness.

I just like to keep it special for August...

plus it's kind of messy to make

and requires lots of chopping.

Gazpacho Soup

3 large red ripe tomatoes

1 sweet red pepper

1 cucumber peeled

1/2 bag of baby carrots

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

Italian dressing

1 TBS. red wine vinegar

2 heaping TBS. tomato paste

fresh cilantro

fresh flat leaf parsley

The key to the soup is the

tomato base.

Start with the ripest tomatoes you

can find.  I like to buy from my

local farmer's market for the best tomatoes.

Cut out the stem area and cut the

tomato into fourths.

I use Good Seasons Italian dressing

that you mix up FRESH.

The taste is much...well, FRESHER than bottled dressings.

One tomato at a time...puree the fourths

in your food processor or blender.

Add one TBS. of Italian dressing and

puree it in.

Pour the contents of the first tomato

into a large mixing bowl and

repeat with the second tomato.

Repeat with the third tomato, yet this time

add two heaping spoonfuls of tomato paste

and whirl it in.  This will really perk the

tomato flavor

Mix the contents of all three tomatoes

together in the bowl.

Salt to your taste.

Cut the cucumber lengthwise into fourths.

Cut out the seeds.

Cut each fourth into narrow strips

and finely chop like this:

Core and seed the red pepper.

Dice it into small bits, too.

Cut the carrots into disks,

then run your knife through them so

you get a fine dice.

Your carrots should equal the amount of

pepper and cucumber.

The amount of onion is a personal

preference.  My family likes less, so I add

1/4 cup of finely diced red onion.

Mix the veggies with the tomato base.

Finely chop a heaping tablespoon of cilantro...

And, a heaping tablespoon of flat leaf parsley.

Add the herbs to the soup

plus one TBS. of red wine vinegar.

Chill the soup for several hours before serving.

You can garnish with any croutons,

but home-made are the YUMMIEST!

Croutons

Any crusty white bread

olive oil

Italian seasoning (or packet of dry Italian dressing mix.)

Kraft Parmesan cheese in green canister

Bread is best to use for croutons

when it's starting to stale.

Cut it into chunks like this:

Put the cut bread in a large mixing bowl

and drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle heavily with Italian seasoning

and garlic powder.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese

and give the croutons a good toss to coat

evenly.

Spread on a foil covered cookie sheet.

Dab any dry croutons with a bit of

olive oil.

Bake croutons at 350-degrees

for 10-13 minutes or until crispy and golden.

This soup is definitely worth

the effort!