40 Minute Bread, Apple & Fennel Salad and Tomato Soup

I said Happy Friday earlier, but now it’s double happy Friday!!!

You don’t even know how dam excited I am for this meal!  I normally post in the morning, but I have to share this with you now!!!  When you see the pictures you’ll understand why.

Doesn’t it look good?  Let me introduce you to the star of the meal!

Opps, I started to cut into it, before I told you about it.  First let me tell you this was so easy, fast and ohhhh, the smell of freshly baked bread in the house.  Is there anything better?  I don’t think so!

I got this recipe from Rebecca of “Foodie with Family”.  She was kind enough to let me share this recipe with you and I am so glad she did.  Somethings you just have to share.   Let me tell you about the delectable homemade bread, it is so tender with a crispy crust and a soft middle and I am to darn excited to go on about it, I can barley control myself.  Tonight it was just my husband and I for dinner and yes, yes, yes we ate one whole loaf of this bread.  He he, I ate one half and he ate the other.  My husband thought I bought the bread, and I said nope, I made it.  He was shocked!  Bread for dinner on a work day?  How did you do it?  Impossible!  Nope not impossible!  Rebecca’s One Hour Sandwich bread, was done, yes completed and on the table in one hour!  This is very dangerous for me, since my downfall is bread!  Rebecca gives the best instructions ever, if I can follow it anyone can.  You have to check her site out!  http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2010/04/17/one-hour-sandwich-bread/  She has the best recipes!  There is so much on her site I want to make, and she makes it all in directions I understand.  I’m telling you, I never lie, so in that, let me tell you, make the bread!  You just have too!  The recipe makes for two loafs, and that scares me, since I already know tomorrow for breakfast I’m having bread with peanut butter and jam!  For lunch a fat panini and if there is any left over it’s going with dinner.  Then I plan on making another loaf or two or three.  Good thing I stopped counting calories!  I’d give you the recipe, but trust me, read Rebecca’s page, it’s a lot easier to follow then what I’d tell you!  Just do it!!  See why!!

Now for the rest of the meal, I made a pretty quick, Roasted Pepper Tomato Soup with a Fennel Apple Salad.  I love this meal!  It’s so down home cooking, and it wasn’t difficult or hard to make!  First the soup!

I have been making this soup for a few years now, it’s a classic!  It’s thick, creamy, and low in calories!  Filled with all good things!  Here is my recipe!

1.5 tablespoons  olive oil

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (no sodium if you can find it)

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (I ran out so I used Vegetable Broth in this recipe)

2 teaspoons sugar, optional (not in calculation) (I don’t think you’ll need it,it all depends on the acidity of the tomatoes)

1/2 cup non-fat milk

1/4 cup of Non Fat Plain Greek Yogurt (I didn’t add it because I ran out, but it makes it extra creamy if you do!)

1/4 cup chopped basil or dry will work

Heat 1.5 tablespoons oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until just fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook until just 1 more minute.

Add tomatoes, red peppers, and chicken broth or vegetable and let it simmer for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, and the sugar, if needed. Add milk and yogurt and basil, and puree using a hand held immersion blender until smooth.  If you don’t have a immersion blender pour it carefully in batches in a food processor or blender.

Serve in soup bowls with a sprinkle of basil on top.

Makes about 4-5 cups.

Calories per cup:  127, Fat:  5.2, Sodium: 237, Potassium:  211,Carbs: 16, Fiber:  2, Sugar:  4.6, Protein:  5.2

Now the Apple Fennel Salad, which was very sweet, and the bread dipped in the dressing was wonderful!  The fennel and apple go so well together and both in season, so get to the Farmer’s Market and get yours!

Fennel Apple Salad with Cider Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider or apple juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 large Macintosh Apple, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
• 1 medium-size fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 2 cups mixed salad greens
• 1/2 cup pecans (about 2 ounces), toasted (optional)

Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend; season dressing with salt and pepper. Combine apple, fennel and arugula in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Mound salad on 4 plates;

I only made two salads and had plenty of dressing left over.  It makes 3/4 of a cup!

Calories in dressing per Tablespoon, makes 12 Tablespoons

Calories:  36.9, Fat:  3.4, Sodium:  2.5, Potassium:  2.8,  Carbs:  1.9,  Sugar:  1.8

Thats it for my American Classic Dinner.  I find tomato soup and bread very comforting.  The only other soup that compares is my homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, which I’ll show you later this fall.  My guess is this wonderful bread will make another guest appearance with my soup!  Ohhh, I can’t wait!!  So Guys!  Check out Rebecca’s site!  http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2010/04/17/one-hour-sandwich-bread/

Thank you Rebecca for letting me share this recipe!  It was so good and I am so excited that I made bread!!!  It was absolutely delicious, but I bet you can tell from my overly to excited post!  I tend to get a little crazy when food is involved!  :)  Ok, check out some more pictures of the star of the show!

Beautiful!  Look at that bread!!

I think the 2nd loaf is calling me right now!!

The butter just melted in the warm crusty bread!!!  You need to make this bread!  One hour and you’ll have fresh, homemade bread!  Who could ask for anything more?  I can’t!!

Have a wonderful weekend!  See you tomorrow with another yummy recipe!