Creamy Tomato and RED Pepper Bisque

Creamy tomato soup that is special enough for any occasion.

Makes 8 servings

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1small onion (4 ounces), peeled, cut in 1⁄2" pieces

1rib celery (2 ounces), cleaned, cut in 1⁄2" pieces

1carrot (2 ounces), peeled, cut in 1⁄2" pieces

2tablespoons white rice

1teaspoon basil

2cups fat free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2cans recipe ready diced tomatoes (151⁄2 oz.) with juices

2roasted red peppers, seeded

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄8 teaspoon white pepper

1⁄2 cup half-and-half

Heat the butter and olive oil in a Cuisinart® 33⁄4-quart saucepan over medium low heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot; cover loosely and cook until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the rice and basil; cook until rice is opaque, 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and roasted red peppers. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover loosely and simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Strain the solids from the cooking liquid, reserving the cooking

liquid and returning it to the saucepan. Place the solids in the blender jar. Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the blender jar. Set on High. Pulse 10 times to chop, then process for 30 to 40 seconds until totally smooth and creamy. Add the salt and pepper; blend 5 seconds longer. Return the blended tomato mixture to the cooking liquid in the saucepan. Heat on medium until it just begins to simmer, then add the half-and-half. Do not allow to boil. The soup may be made ahead and reheated – if making ahead, do not add half-and-half until soup is reheated.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 87 (28 % from fat) • carb. 13g • pro. 3g • fat 3g

• sat. fat 1g • chol. 7mg • sod. 367mg • calc. 47mg • fiber 3g

PERFECT POPOVERS

Impress your guests with these deceptively simple popovers that are mixed in a matter of seconds in your Cuisinart® Blender. Our 50-ounce blender is large enough for you to increase this recipe by 50 percent to make a larger batch.

Makes 18 popovers

6 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups evaporated fat-free milk, not reconstituted

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F. Thoroughly coat eighteen 1⁄2-cup popover, custard, or muffin cups with cooking spray or melted butter.

Place the eggs, flour, milk and salt in the blender jar in the order listed; cover blender jar. Set on Low. Blend for 10 seconds. Scrape the sides of the jar if needed. With the blender running, add the melted butter in a steady stream and blend for 10 seconds. Let batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven until puffy and nicely browned, about 40 minutes. Use a cake tester to pierce each popover several times and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, loosen from pans with a thin-blade knife and gently lift out. Serve hot.

Nutritional information per popover:

Calories 126 (37% from fat) • carb. 14g • pro. 6g • fat 5g

• sat. fat 3g • chol. 79mg • sod. 91mg • calc. 93mg • fiber 0g

For Pesto Popovers: add 1⁄2 cup prepared pesto (page 18) to the batter. Bake as directed.

ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS

Makes about 21⁄3 cups

2tablespoons Italian parsley leaves 8-12 cloves roasted garlic, cooled *

2cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained