I had a very busy weekend filled with lots of fun. Saturday night we celebrated my sister’s birthday and the entire family got together for a night of great food and dancing at a great russian-french-meditteranean restaurant. I really enjoyed the night out but even more than that I enjoyed the fantastic food. This restaurant offers family style dining with lots of dishes for everyone to share. Some of my favorite appetizers included sesame crusted tuna served with pickled beets and seaweed, thai grilled shrimp salad with sweet ginger sauce and eel with salad greens and raspberries. For the main course I couldn’t get enough of the duck foie-gras with raspberry sauce, Kutab with meat and lamb kebab. By the time we left, which was almost 2 am, I was so stuffed I could barely move.
Sunday, we took Briana to a birthday party at a chefs academy, where kids made pizza’s from scratch, decorated cupcakes and of course enjoyed the fruits of their labor.
While Ms. Chef Briana was making pizza I was thinking about dinner. I remembered a recipe for a tomato soup I read in the recent issue of Fine Cooking and decided to make it. Can I just add that it came out fantastic. 
I changed two things from the original recipe and made it healthier. I used low fat half and half and I omitted the grilled cheese croutons the original recipe called for.
Start by sauteing onions and garlic for about 10 minutes. Then add low sodium chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, saffron, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, boil water and cook orzo about 7 min, drain and add to the soup. It will finish cooking in the soup. Simmer the soup another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add half and half, adjust the seasonings and enjoy.
Orzo Tomato Soup
Dinner, Lunch, Soup, Tomato soup
Cooks in
Ingredients
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2 medium onions, chopped
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3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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4 cups low sodium chicken stock
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1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, i like San Marzano
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good pinch of saffron
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salt and pepper to taste
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1/2 cup orzo
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1/2 cup low fat half and half
Directions
- 1. In a Dutch oven, over low medium heat saute onions and garlic about 15 min until translucent. Do not let brown.
- 2. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, saffron, s & p to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 min.
- 3. Meanwhile, cook orzo in salted water for 7 min. Drain and add to the soup.
- 4. Continue simmering another 15 min.
- 5. Turn off the heat, add half and half, stir and enjoy.
