Tomato Soup

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time-to-table: 15 minutes
Makes 5 cups for 4 servings

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup finely diced onion
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 1 pound perfectly ripe tomatoes
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 cups skim milk
* Bits of fresh basil or thyme

Heat a large pot on medium high and melt the butter. Add the onion, stir well to coat with fat and let cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the flour, let cook for about 1 minute, stirring continuously. Stir in the tomatoes, water and sugar, let cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. (If you like, prepare to this point and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat before proceeding.)

Stir in the salt and soda (don’t worry when the mixture foams up). Add the milk and heat through but do not allow to boil. Serve immediately topped with bits of basil or thyme.

Rustantl's Cheesy BBQ Meatloaf

2 pounds lean ground beef
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 Tsp. salt
1 Tbls. sugar
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup water
4 tbs. BBQ sauce of your choice
3 dashes of liquid smoke
1 TBLS. vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 TBLS. brownsugar
1 TBS. mustard
2 dashes liquid smoke
2 or 3 cups of shredded cheese

Mix together beef, bread crumbs, oatmeal, salt, sugar, egg, Tomato juice, water, BBQ sauce, 3 dashes liquid smoke, and vinegar.

Pat mixture on wax paper into a rectangle shape and sprinkle cheese all over it
then roll the meat like a swiss cake roll to layer the cheese through out the meatloaf...pinch together both ends to make sure cheese stays inside...put into a bread loaf pan.

Mix together Ketchup, Brown sugar, mustard and liquid smoke spread this mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for about a hour!

Chicken with Mole Negro

Ingredients
3 tablespoons corn oil
8 whole chicken legs with thighs attached
4 dried pasilla chilies, chopped
4 dried ancho chilies, chopped
4 dried mulato chilies, chopped
1 can (14 oz / 400 g) tomatoes or 3 large, fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup (2.4 dl) chicken broth
4 tablespoons raisins
4 tablespoons peanuts, shelled and skinned
1 corn tortilla
½ teaspoon anise seeds or ¼ teaspoon ground
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 oz (60 g) bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Method
1. Cook the chicken legs until tender.
2. Roast the chilies, transfer to a bowl and add hot chicken broth. Soak until tender.
3. Roast onion, garlic and peanuts.
4. In a blender mix tomatoes, chilies, onion, garlic, raisins, peanuts, tortilla, chicken broth,
salt and spices, and puree on high speed.
5. Heat the sauce, add chocolate and mix well when the chocolate has melted.
6. Add more salt or spices as needed.
7. Cook the chicken legs in the sauce at low heat until cooked through while stirring, approximately 30 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with rice and a salad.