Val’s Tomato Soup with Sweet Chile Sauce and Basil

• 2 20 oz jars of homemade tomato sauce or 3 large cans good quality crushed tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 basil leaves, sliced in thin ribbons
• 1/2 bag dry (about 2 cups) Great Northern Beans, cooked
• 1 cup sweet chile sauce (homemade or Thai Sweet Chile Sauce)
• olive oil
• If using homemade sauce, also use about 3 Roma or beefsteak tomatoes, chopped, for texture

Heat oil in a large stock pot; toss in garlic and chopped tomatoes; simmer for 5 minutes.  Slowly pour in tomato sauce; simmer for 20 minutes. Add sweet chile sauce and beans; heat until warmed.  Top with basil ribbons, serve & enjoy!

Grilled Turkey Pastrami Sandwich

this isn’t your usual suspect Rueben, turkey or pastrami sandwich…

• 1/4 lb shaved turkey pastrami
• 6 slices provolone
• 4 T cream cheese
• 4 T sweet chile sauce (see blog on making/canning your own!)
• 4 slices homemade Toscana or Ciabata bread
• olive oil & kosher salt

Heat grill pan on medium-high heat, drizzle about 1 T olive oil on pan, place 2 slices of bread down; drizzle a light amount (1/2 tsp) of oil over the tops of bread, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt; turn bread over and spread 2 T cream cheese over one slice, spooning chile sauce/jam over top of cream cheese, and provolone over the other slice; arrange pastrami over the provolone; “sandwich” the two pieces together and repeat with remaining bread, cheese & other fixin’s. Serve with yummy tomato soup, maybe some kale chips (see earlier post) and enjoy!