With or Without Cream Cheese

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With or Without Cream Cheese

By Libbie Summers, Senior Food Editor

I have to be honest, I only watched a couple of the 6,000 videos entered into the Real Women of Philadelphia contest prior to the sixteen finalists being chosen. Really, how could I…6,000 plus videos?...that’s a full time job and I already have 4 of those.

Once the 16 finalists were chosen, I had a chance to briefly speak with each one to ensure they had everything they needed when they arrived to cook their dish in Savannah. I’ve never been quiet about my love of all things smeared, wrapped, stuffed or baked with cream cheese so each of the 16 finalist’s recipes sounded heavenly…to my heart and arteries.

On the day of the competition, some 14 hours of cooking later…when all the recipes were tasted and judged…I had a favorite. Ann Miller-Tobin’s Roasted Tomato & Pepper Soup with Pesto Cream Cheese Schmutz. It was gorgeous, fresh and flavorful…thing is…and don’t tell Paula I said this, but I think I would have liked it with or without the cream cheese!

I hope you try all of the delicious recipes from the entire Real Women of Philadelphia community and congratulations to everyone who participated in this amazing competition! Vive la Cream Cheese!

Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup with Pesto Cream Cheese Schmutz
Serves: 10

Ingredients:
4 pound(s) of tomatoes
1 sea salt n pepper to taste
1 head of garlic peeled and rough chopped
1 lb. bacon
4 large red peppers chopped and de-seeded
4 large yellow peppers chopped and de-seeded
4 large orange peppers chopped and de-seeded
2 large sweet yellow onions
1 cup(s) of bunch fresh basil leaves
4 tbsp. of olive oil
3 medium jalapenos chopped and de-seeded
8 ounce(s) of Philly Cream Cheese
1/4 cup(s) of butter
1/4 cup(s) of pesto for garnish
8 ounce(s) of Philly Cream Cheese for garnish
1 cup(s) of Croutons for garnish

Directions:

Core and cut tomatoes in half and place in large oven roasting pan.

Chop and de-seed all peppers and place in roasting pan with tomatoes.

Peel head of garlic and rough chop & add to the roasting pan.

Add the bacon un-cooked to the roasting pan.

Add the 1 cup of fresh basil leaves to the roasting pan mixture. Make sure the stems are removed and they leaves have been washed and patted dry.

Salt ‘n pepper all items in the roasting pan and toss.

Pour the olive oil over the items in the roasting pan and toss lightly.

Place the roasting pan full of veggies, and bacon and herbs into a pre-heated 450 degree oven on the middle upper rack and cook for approx 30 mins, ‘til everything is soft and juicy.

After the veggies come out of the oven blend contents in batches in a blender on the liquify setting. Pour the contents into a large stock pot or soup pan and heat over medium heat.

Once everything is blended and in the pot, add 1/4 cup butter and the 8 oz. of Philly cream cheese and stir ‘til melted and incorporated.

Salt ‘n pepper to taste.

You can adjust the flavoring at this point according to your taste. I usually tinker and add Italian spices and some red pepper flakes till I have it where I like it.

For the pesto cream sauce garnish you can pick up a jar of pesto at your local grocer, found sometimes in the Italian food aisle they will have tubes of basil pesto, next to tomato paste tubes, mix the pesto with 4 oz. of Philly cream cheese.

When serving the soup garnish with croutons and a dollop of the pesto cream cheese topping. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Courtesy of: Ann Miller-Tobin

Eat Something Homegrown…with or without the cream cheese added,
Libbie

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With or Without Cream Cheese