Roasted Pepper Soup and Award

After my parents left, it turned into the use-everything-up-before-it-spoils game!

First on the list were some cut peppers from the veggie platter on Christmas. There was the equivalent of about 4 peppers that were already cleaned and cut still left over. Very convenient for snacking and cooking, but I didn't want to let them go so long they turned slimy.

Jenn of Slim Shoppin' had posted a roasted red pepper soup recipe the week earlier, so I referenced that and one from Tasty Kitchen to create my own!

Mine used:

~4 bell peppers (mixture of green, yellow, orange, red)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 onion, quartered
5-6 cloves garlic (I used 2 elephant cloves)

~3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp fresh sage
~1 cup fat free half and half (leftover for mom's coffee, otherwise I'd use milk)
dash pepper

To start, mix the first list of ingredients together and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes at 425°. Let cool, then peel the waxy skin off the peppers. Place everything, including the extra oil, in a soup pot.

Add everything from the second list of ingredients and use a stick blender to puree. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Bring up to temperature and ladle in bowls, garnishing with extra basil if desired.





Maggie of Say Yes to Salad gave me a beautiful blogger award!! I first "discovered" her blog after clicking on one of her comments left at 101 Cookbooks. I've been a loyal follower and fan ever since! She posts not just about healthy food, but also a healthy mind and body.

I'm supposed to list 7 random facts about myself and then pass it onto 7 fellow bloggers!

First, the facts:

1) I am allergic to penicillin.
2) I collect piggy banks and have close to 60!
3) I burp really loudly! (It's a trait certain members of my family and me are really proud of!)
4) I cannot stand being referred to by any nicknames of Christina (Chris, Tina, Chrissy, etc.), or being mistakenly called Christine.
5) My hair was not curly until I was about 13 or 14 years old and cut it from waist-length to a chin-lengthed bob.
6) I've never broken any bone - not even a toe!
7) I have two tattoos! (Only one has made an appearance on the blog.)

And for the bloggers:

1) Biz of Biggest Diabetic Loser who I've had the pleasure meeting in real life! I love her spunk and she's always a great source of wisdom, ideas, and motivation!

2) Sophia of Burp & Slurp~ who I honestly love! She posts with such beauty and truth, it's always a treat to see a new post of hers pop up on my reader, plus she couldn't be more of a sweetheart!

3) Laura of Hey, What's for Dinner Mom? who is one happening mama, full of spirit, an outrageous sense of humor, and brutal honesty which I LOVE. She's fantastic to e-mail and I'd love to be brave enough to live her life (garden, home-grown chickens, 365 In) for a year, but doubt I'd last!

4) Allie from Live Laugh Eat who if I had to sum up in one word, would be "energy!" Just reading her blog makes me tired half the time! She takes beautiful pics of her healthy eats and is just a joy to read with an upbeat personality.

5) Amy of Please Don't Eat Me! who I feel a special bond with and love reading her blog and e-mailing with her. Sometimes it feels like we grew up in the same family - we just get each other like that!

6) Cyndi of So Much More than a Mom who isn't a food blogger, but I love her anyways! A fellow Chicagolander I've yet to meet, she's another great e-mailer that just "gets" me and writes about some important topics!

7) Last is Mara of What's for Dinner?, another blogger I've had the luck to meet in real life! She is one happy girl and I love her healthy recipes, honest posts, and cute food Saturdays!