Homemade Tomato Soup with Cheese Dumplings (Bags of Gold)

As a child I spent many years in Girl Scouts one of the first things I remember cooking at camp was "Bags of Gold".  Campbell's Tomato Soup and Bisquick dumplings stuffed with cheese floating on top.  We ate very well at camp.  We usually came home with recipes and new techniques to try.  I have found scouting for each person completely depends on how active their troop is, growing up in a military family we moved often resulting in finding a new troop each move.  My mom was active in adult scouting which I'm sure influenced our finding an active troop.  It was the 70's when her last position was Service Unit Leader, we lived in Hawaii at the time and yep she was in charge of a lot.  I learned many life lessons during my years in Girl Scouts.

This past Winter on a girls weekend we visited Juliette Gordon Lowe's birthplace in Savannah, GA.  A magnificent home with her amazing story well preserved.

Picture of some post cards, you can't
take photos inside the house.

Logo in gate.

Denise, Betty, me & Debbie
(girlfriends weekend, Savannah, GA)

 The soup recipe is adapted from The Brasserie in Lancaster, PA while they have many great things on their menu they are known for this soup.  It is rich, hearty and oh so good.  The recipe is on their web site but if you get the chance to go you need to try it there.  Cooked like a French Onion Soup they melt cheese over the top of the bowl and the soup underneath is so good.  The recipe isn't that complicated to make if you like to make homemade soups the biggest time commitment is all the chopping.  If you are making the dumplings for "Bags of Gold" make sure you thin your soup more as the dumplings absorb a lot of liquid.  If you are doing the croutons/bread with melted cheese over the top you won't need to thin it out.

My version:

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 12 oz can diced tomato
3 carrots, peeled & finely chopped
1 large onion chopped finely
3 celery stalks, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves grated on micro plane
1 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes (regular will do I just prefer these)
1 oz can of tomato paste
2 T brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 c 1/2 & 1/2
3-4 c chicken stock

Directions:

In large pot saute in olive oil diced tomato, onion, celery, carrot till just beginning to brown.  Add garlic, then whole tomatoes, paste and brown sugar simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  With immersion blender blend ingredients.  Then add seasoning and 1/2 & 1/2.  Add chicken broth to desired consistency and heat through.  If you want a really chunky consistency you can blend just half of the soup then add it back together.  If you have fresh spices you'll have a fresher flavor.

Saute in large pot.

Add whole tomatoes

I like the flavor of San Marzano's, often they are
on the bottom shelf.  You may have to look a around a bit.

When cooked well mash whole tomatoes.

Stir in 1/2 & 1/2.

With immersion blender blend to desired consistency.

Straight from the Bisquick site Betty Crocker Bisquick Recipe (click for their web site).

These are super easy.

Dumplings

Ingredients:

2 c Bisquick

2/3 c milk

Directions:

Stir together, drop by spoonfuls onto boiling soup then reduce heat.  For this recipe wrap around piece of cheese.  Cook uncovered 10 minutes then cover and cook 10 minutes more.

To serve lift off a dumpling or two into your soup bowl then scoop out soup adding to bowl. 

Spoonful of dough with cheese cut into cube, any will do
I used cheddar.

Drop onto top of soup.

They will sink and as they cook rise to top.

They do absorb liquid so allow for that when adding stock,
if it starts to absorb to much you can carefully add some stock.
I say carefully because it will cool down your soup and you need the
heat to cook the dumplings.

Baked Fontina

Saw Ina Garten making this on TV and had to try it.  Ina's show makes you want to spend the day with her shopping and then have a great meal together.  I also love her story talk about major career changes from government to food.  I use her cookbooks frequently. Thanks Ina.

I had some of this left and reheated in a foil pan on a grill at a tailgate, was still yummy.  

Baked Fontina

1 1/2 lb Fontina cheese, cubed and rind removed

1/4 c good olive oil (I used about 1/8c)

6 garlic cloves, sliced  (I used about 3 and minced it)

1 T minced fresh thyme (use less if you have to use dried)

1 tsp fresh minced rosemary 

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 crusty French baguette (I served it with assorted toasts, crackers, chips)

Directions:

Preheat the broiler and position rack 5 inches from heat.

Place cheese in 12" cast iron skillet, drizzle with the olive oil.  Combine the spices and sprinkle over cheese.  Place under broiler for about 6 minutes till cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Serve warm right in skillet, I suggest having a pot holder type wrap for the cast iron handle as people are dipping into it.  

Ready for oven

Right from broiler.

    

Croque Monsieur

After arriving in France Croque Monsieur is the first thing I ordered because I knew what it was, I was starved, I don't think you can get a bad one anywhere in France, and it is so good.   A classic French version of a ham & cheese sandwich.  Every time I have ordered it you get greens tossed in a vinaigrette on the side.  Austin spent a semester in Paris and according to his "house mom" they serve the greens with most meals for better digestion, it is a good combo though.  I used Arugula & onion tossed with a Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette.  The Gruyere cheese is a must, you could use a Swiss cheese but it won't be as good.  My other favorite basic food in France is an omelet, anywhere I ordered this it was a good choice.  The favorite had to be this one at Mont St. Michel.

Croque Monsieur

Ingredients:

3 T butter
3 T flour
2 C hot milk (I used skim)
salt & pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
12 oz gruyere cheese-shredded
sliced bread (white is traditional)
sliced baked ham
Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°

Toast bread on cookie sheet in oven for 5 min flip slices over and toast 2 more minutes or till toasted.

Meanwhile melt butter in saucepan stir in flour to make rue.  Add hot milk slowly whisking as you do.  Once thickened remove from heat, stir in 1/2 of cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg set aside.

Lightly brush toast with Dijon, layer ham, then some of the grated cheese top with other slice.  Spread sauce over top allowing to run down sides, add grated cheese on top of sauce.  Bake for 5 min, then broil for 2-5 min till tops are golden.  Serve hot.  I lined the cookie sheet with Aluminum foil for easier clean up.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

1/4 C lemon juice

3/4 C olive oil

1 T Dijon mustard

salt & pepper

1/2 tsp Thyme

Shake to blend then toss with greens.

Onion Cheese Flatbread

Looking for something to add to those meals of soup, this is simple and would also work good as an appetizer.  Most of these ingredients I usually already have on hand or left over from another meal.









Onion Cheese Flatbread

Whole Wheat Tortillas
non fat greek yogurt
onions sliced thin
grated Cheese  (cheddar, gruyere, fontina something that melts well)
fresh ground pepper


Place the tortilla on a cookie sheet spread with yogurt, sprinkle with cheese, onion and pepper.  Bake at 350° for about 15 min till cheese is bubbly.

**add different spices to go with your meal such as old bay, basil, oregano whatever you like.

Tiny Cheese Crackers

This Cheese Cracker recipe is from the Martha Stewart site where you can find directions for just about anything.  Lets face it you can't google to many foodie items without hitting the Martha site, she has it covered and covered well.  What a wealth of information.

Tiny Cheese Crackers

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

3 T ground flax seed

12-16oz grated cheddar cheese

1/2 c cold butter cut into cubes

1 tsp kosher salt

dash of pepper

Put all ingredients into food processor and pulse til it is a crumbly mixture.  Add a few Tablespoons of cold water a little at a time just till mixture holds together.

Remove and form into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 min.

Roll out to 1/8 in thickness and cut with small cookie cutters.

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15-18 min.

Cool & serve.

You could add different spices if you wanted a variety of flavors.  I found this best baked the day I wanted to serve them, you could make the dough ahead then roll and bake the amount you need.

My cheese board is from "Jonathon Spoons" a local wood
artist that does amazing work!  He uses local Pennsylvania
Cherry wood and all pieces are made by hand.

Spinach Mac & Cheese

Let's face it, just about everyone I know will eat Mac & Cheese anytime so throwing in spinach makes it a step healthier.  This turned out so good!  I am a Mac & Cheese connoisseur, I would love to find out it is the healthiest low calorie thing to eat someday........I'll keep dreaming.
This is just my regular Mac & Cheese recipe with spinach added.  As I have in the original post I like using a variety of cheeses and therefore it always comes out a little different.  This night it was Gruyere (always a good choice & melts nicely), Cheddar, a small bit of Blue Cheese for the intensity, and some Parmesan.  So next time you want to add to that Mac & Cheese or healthy it up a bit through in some dark greens of your choice.


Penne Pasta
2 c skim milk
2T butter
2 T flour
garlic powder
ground mustard
fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 c grated cheese --total Gruyere, Cheddar, Parmesan, Blue Cheese
2 pkgs frozen spinach, cooked, drained and squeezed dry
breadcrumbs or club crackers crumbles for crunchy top 


Boil penne till al dente, drain, set aside.  In same pot melt butter, stir in flour to form rue, let cook 1 minute, stir in milk, spices and let thicken.  If it gets a little to thick slowly add more milk till desired consistency.   Add spinach & cheese stir till blended, mix in penne and spoon into buttered baking dish.  Top with a little more grated Gruyere cheese and breadcrumbs.  Bake till bubbly about 15 min in 350 oven.

Cheese and Beer Fondue

 This recipe comes from a cookbook I have had since the early 80's, some of the pages have come loose from the binding from age or use.  Put out by Better Homes and Gardens it has tons of cooking & serving ideas, although the pictures now are very dated looking at some of the clothing on people the recipes are still good.  I would make this fondue when the kids were young they loved to dip things and who can resist a big bowl of cheese.  We have had some unseasonably cold weather which sent me into fall cooking.  The recipe works great for football/baseball season and can also be used as an appetizer.  In the 80's we had a sectional couch you could flip a cushion off the ottoman and there was a table underneath so we could sit on the floor to eat our fondue, that put some fun into dinner.  I have adapted the recipe a bit over the years but it is so easy to make.  Tossing the flour with the grated cheese seems to work well when making a sauce, I have used that idea whenever I make a cheese type sauce.

Cheese and Beer Fondue

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 T flour
1 small garlic clove
1 can of beer
1/2 c water
2 T mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground dry mustard

Good bread
meatballs
vegetables-anything you can dip

Directions:
Toss cheese with flour and set aside.  Rub the bottom of sauce pan with garlic clove and then discard garlic.  Add beer and water to the saucepan.  Heat the mixture till warm over medium heat, gradually add cheese/flour mixture stirring constantly.  It is best to make sure cheese is melted before adding more.  Just before serving stir in mayonnaise, Worcestershire, mustard and stir.

Transfer the hot cheese mixture to the fondue pot, place over burner or small votive.  It is important when dipping to swirl mixture a bit to keep it from setting.  If it does thicken to much stir in a little more beer.

Dipper ideas:  meatballs, broccoli, oven fries, bread, etc.

A vegie tray makes a good side dish and could also be dipped.

I baked the meatballs, roasted the broccoli,
and made the oven fries all at the same time .

Favorite French Onion Soup

served here with a pesto chicken panini

All time favorite at this house, so I have tweaked and tweaked till I am really happy with this recipe.

Favorite French Onion Soup


Ingredients:
3 Large Vidalia Onions sliced
2 Leeks sliced
1 Fennel bulb chopped
mushrooms
Thyme
black pepper
olive or canola oil
6 oz red wine
beef broth (use Vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
Gruyere cheese
good bread

Directions:
Saute in large deep pan or stock pot with oil onions, fennel, leeks till carmalized.  Add mushrooms, Thyme to taste, pepper and saute a few more minutes.  Deglaze pan with red wine let cook about a minute then add broth to cover vegetables, let simmer for at least 30 minutes while simmering taste to see if you'd like more spice.  Toast bread and cut into cubes.  Slice cheese.

Ladle soup into oven proof bowls till full, put toasted bread cubes on top lay cheese over top and broil till bubbly.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.