Summer Soup & Garden Variety Wednesday #8

Welcome to
Garden Variety Wednesday # 8. 
Link up your recipes & ideas using fresh produce below.

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The words summer and soup rarely go together in my opinion.  I'm not one to slurp down soup when it's almost 100 degrees.  Maybe that's just me.

But the soup I have today is not a typical soup.  Actually, depending on how you eat it, it could also be a salad.

Whaaa?  Let me explain. 
Using ice cream, of course.
Whaaa, again?


There are people who like to eat their ice cream intact--shaving bites from perfect scoops with their spoons.  And yes, scoops...plural because who eats just one scoop?  Then there are people like me who take those perfect scoops and stir and stir and stir them until their bowls hold what my brothers and I always called "ice cream soup." 


It's how I always eat ice cream.  And this is also how I like to eat the Goat Cheese & Tomato "Soup" below.  You can, however, leave the ingredients in their original form and call it a salad.

Your call.  I know you'll make the right one.
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I make this with cherry tomatoes.  I HEART cherry tomatoes.  They are so cute and sweet and reliable.  Always the first of my tomato plants to produce.  Always the tough little troopers who keep on crankin' through the heat better than the other tomato plants.  And always the last plants I harvest from.


If you've never grown tomatoes and want to give it a try, my suggestion is to start with cherry tomatoes.

First of the season!
(Back in early May)

There's nothing better than popping cherry tomatoes directly from the plant, slightly warmed by the sun.  That's often my breakfast.  And this is often my lunch...

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I came across a picture recently.  That's The Boy, about 2 1/2 years old.  We'd just come inside from harvesting tomatoes.

Little baby toes are even cuter than cherry tomatoes

This is him now.  Nine years old.  Still helping me with the tomatoes.

We were goofing around outside with the camera. 
It struck me funny that this is such a similar pose to the one above.

And by helping...

I mean eating.

This is really simple, with few ingredients:
A couple of handfuls of cherry tomatoes per person, some goat cheese, olive oil, a palmful of chopped green onion, salt, and pepper

Everything in bowls, then zap in the microwave for about 40 seconds (until the goat cheese starts to get melty).

The rest is up to you.  Leave as is and eat as a salad.
Me, I'm gonna stir, stir, stir, and turn it into "soup."

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Goat Cheese & Tomato "Soup" or Salad
from Ms. enPlace

2 big handfuls of cherry tomatoes per person, halved
goat cheese
a good drizzle of olive oil
a palmful of chopped green onion per person
salt & pepper to taste

Place tomatoes in individual bowls.  Top with goat cheese and green onion.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Heat in the microwave (if desired) for about 40 seconds, until the cheese starts to melt.

Eat as a salad, or stir everything together for a saucy/"soupy" dish.

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GARDEN VARIETY WEDNESDAY # 8

<a href="http://msenplace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/mm73/blog%20badge/garden1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>

~ Made a dish with something you nurtured in your garden?
~ Maybe a neighbor stopped by and shared some of his/her harvest?
~ Have baskets of goodies from a pick-your-own farm?
~ Found some treasures at your local farmer's market?

* Please don't forget to link back to Ms. enPlace or grab a button.
* Link your post--not your home page.
* Please, one link per person.
* Since growing seasons differ so much even across the US, old/archived posts are welcome, but please edit with a link back or a button.
* Have fun visiting other blogs!


Garden Variety Wednesday schedule:

July 6 & July 20       

August 10 & August 24

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I'm linking up with the following...head on over!

Food on Friday: Tomatoes @ Carole's Chatter

Tuesdays at the Table @ All The Small Stuff

Hearth and Soul vol 53 @ A Moderate Life

Delectable Tuesday @ Home Sweet Farm

Made it on Monday #15 @ Lark's Country Heart

Let's Do Brunch @ The Life and Times of the 21st Century Housewife
and My Sweet & Savory

Turning the Table Thursday @ Around My Family Table

What's Cooking Thursday @ Feeding Four

Potluck Friday @ EKat's Kitchen

Foodie Friday @ Little Brick Ranch

Fresh Food Friday @ la bella vita

Friday Food @ Mom Trends

Souper Sundays @ Kahakai Kitchen

June Salad Round Up @ Seaside Simplicity