Friends and Family Across the Nation

My brother, David, and Beth returned to their home in northern Maine after spending a month in warm and sunny Florida. On their second morning home this is the view of their back yard!



In the meantime my friends Mike and Marge are winding up their winter stay in Florida. They sent me these photos of a deer and an eagle which they saw while driving home from a day of bass fishing.

And in southern California my friend Bob and his partner Dennis spent Sunday clearing brush and planting a garden on their property which they call Cielo Grande.

Tonight, I thought I would cook a simple meal of soup and sandwiches for my friends Mary and Ed here in Winthrop, Massachusetts.

First I set a simple table.

I tossed 5 pounds of cut up fresh tomatoes with smashed garlic cloves, olive oil, and salt and pepper. I roasted them in a hot oven for 40 minutes.

They looked like this when finished, very soft and aromatic.

In the meantime I cooked a large chopped onion in olive oil. To this I added a couple cups of water, the tomatoes, a little sugar, some red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. After bringing it to a boil I let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

I put it in the blender and pureed it until it was smooth.

A half cup of sweet heavy cream and some fresh basil leaves and it was ready to serve.

In the meantime I heated up my panini grill.

I assenbled my ingredients for the sandwich - a nice loaf of chiabatta bread, some fresh mozzarella cheese and basil pesto.

The cheese and pesto were placed on the sliced bread and both outside slices were sprayed with olive oil.

Onto the grill for just a few minutes.

I guess that this is anything but simple soup and a sandwich.

I call it simple but superb!