At Home in Mossy Creek

by Deborah Smith

  Serves 6

  Prep time: 20 minutes

  Cooking time: 45 minutes

  Bubba’s Creamy Tomato Soup

  Here’s a great winter meal that you can make from things that are probably already in your pantry and refrigerator. It’s pretty easy and oh, so much better than that stuff in the red and white can that you had with your grilled cheese sandwich when you were a kid.

  1 (one) 28 ounce can peeled whole tomatoes

  32 ounces chicken stock

  1 cup heavy cream

  2 slices bacon, diced

  1 small onion, diced

  2 stalks celery, chopped

  2 carrots, chopped

  1 tbsp flour

  1 bay leaf

  2 tsp kosher salt

  In a large stock pot, cook the bacon over medium low heat until crisp. Add the onion, celery, carrots, flour and salt. Sautee until the onions start to caramelize. Add the flour and stir until well blended. Add the tomatoes and the chicken stock and bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and remove the bay leaf. Puree in small batches in a blender or food processor. Return the pureed soup to the stock pot over low heat (do not boil). Stir in the cream.

  Serve with garlic bread, or how about a grown up version of a grilled cheese sandwich?

  Serves 4

  Prep time: 10 minutes

  Cooking time: 45 minutes

  The Mossy Creek Storytelling Club

  (In order of appearance)

  Amos—Debra Dixon

  Sandy—Susan Goggins

  Sagan—Sandra Chastain

  Hannah—Sabrina Jeffries

  Harry—Martha Crockett

  Eula Mae—Carmen Green

  Peggy—Carolyn McSparren

  Louise—Carolyn McSparren

  Ida—Deborah Smith

  Quinn—Maureen Hardegree

  Win/Bubba—Wayne Dixon