Diaries of a Determined Cook: Apple Bacon Tomato Soup

This has totally become a favorite in my house. Everyone was like, "Apple bacon and tomato together? I don't know, Mom." The teenager informed me that it'll 'probably' be good because bacon can make anything taste good. Thanks for the vote of confidence kids! :)

Next time I make this Jewel, I'll have to double the recipe. It all went! I couldn't believe it. You know what? I think I'm finally getting this cooking thing down. LOL

Apple Bacon Tomato Soup
Servings: 8
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min

Ingredients:

5 slices of bacon(I used a whole pound minus the 3 slices the kids stole. If you do that, don't add in the salt. Wayyyy too salty.)
1 Tbl olive oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 cups beef stock
1 (15,5 oz) can pinto beans
1 (14,5 oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
2 stalks celery, chopped 
1 bay leaf
1 medium apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red wine (If you're like me and can't drink wine, even when cooked because of the phosphates, you can't substitute red/white grape juice or apple juice and use the same amount.)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium hight heat until evenly brown. Drain, coarsely chop, and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute white onion and garlic 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in beef stock, pinto beans, tomatoes, celery, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce hear, and simmer.


3. In a small saucepan over medium hear, cook and stir the apple in the red wine until soft.


4. Mix bacon, apple, and remaining red wine into the soup mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until well blended.


First looking at this recipe I thought I'd totally mess it up because there seems to be sooo much to do. However, it was quicker than I thought and delicious with French bread served on the side. 

Enjoy and have a Sparkling Day!
Rebecca Rose 

Side note: My friend Wendy found this site for me since I'm always calling her to find substitutes for things. Gourmet Sleuth is a wonderful site to find all sorts of things. http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Wine-and-Alcohol-644/alcohol-substitutes.aspx
   

Talkin' Tuesday with Diane Escalera!

 

Hi Diane! The last time I saw you was last year. What the heck have you been up to?

Thank you so much for hosting me.  Again!  I had such a blast the last time, and just had to come back for another visit.  Things have been crazy busy with the release of my latest book, Still Hot for You.  It’s an emotional love story about what happens after the happily ever.

Shay LaCosta screwed up a damn good marriage.  Now she’s on a mission to get a little submission, and get her hunky husband back in her bed.

Sexy, fun, and romantic, Still Hot for You takes a peek into the marriage of Dylan and Shay LaCosta.  Theirs is a hot and steamy union, with an even hotter couple.  Just like in real life, relationships have problems.  But when two people are meant to be, they fight with each other, and they fight for each other.

So, when writing your stories, do you have story boards which you work off of?

While I’m more of a pantser, I do need to have a few things in place such as a working title, my main characters, and the premise of the story.  I like to have an idea where I’m going, but I’m never sure how I’m going to get there until I start writing.  Once I’m into the story, I use a notebook to keep track of each chapter and all the pertinent details.

You’ve written many novels. How long does it normally take you to complete one, start to finish?

I admire those authors who can bang out a book in their sleep.  Unfortunately, I’m not one of them!  A full-length novel can take me several months to write.  Then there’s the editing process…

What surprised you most when it came to becoming an author?

Being a romance author is not as glamorous as people might think.  It takes a lot of hard work, grit and steely determination to make it in this business.

What do your children think of your writing?

My daughter is studying to become an entertainment lawyer.  She thinks it’s pretty cool than I’m author.  And she’d like to represent me!

FOR FUN

How’s the doggy?

How funny!  I talk about her enough, right?  What can I say?  My little dachshund keeps a permanent smile on my face.  We have such a lovefest going on. 

Hot bubble baths or hot tub?

Very little beats a hot bubble bath, nice glass of wine, and a candle.  So relaxing.  Ahhh. 

What do you like to do for enjoyment when it’s just you?

That’s easy.  Play with doggie!  I also love to lose myself in a good book, take in some retail therapy, or watch a cheesy flick on the Lifetime Movie Network.  My husband laughs at me, but whatever.    

If you could have any car, what would it be?

A BMW would make me happy.  That’s why I need everybody to buy my book!

Perfect typist or chicken pecker?

Chicken pecker, baby!

What’s the largest/strangest pet you’ve ever had?

Well, the largest pet I ever had was a Labrador.  The strangest thing about her was her owner!

BACK TO WORK

How do you get to know your characters?

Aw, I was having fun.  Okay, let’s see… I spend a lot of time figuring out who my characters are by creating a profile.  So many things shape a person, and I start with their childhood, family, etc.  Where did they come from?  What made them who they are today?

You didn’t know you were going to be a writer but, when you were younger, did you hear the voices in your head? Because lets face it, all us writers do hear them.

Ah, the voices in my head!  Seriously, when I’m fully engaged in the writing process, my characters do have a tendency to steer the story. 

Who’s your own favorite character and why?

That would have to be Sienna Diaz, the heroine in my last book, Dangerous Desire.  She was older with a daughter in college, and I could really relate to her.  What I liked most was that even though she’d been through a painful divorce, she never stopped believing in love.  

Do you get to have your own writer’s office, or is it a community place full of noise and clutter which you work?

I have a space where it is peaceful and quiet and I can write without distractions.

What inspires you to write?

Honestly, I just want to keep writing quality stories and building a readership.  I love my job, and hope to continue to be blessed with the ability to do it.

What’s the first thing you’d do if your stories catapulted you to celebrity statue?

Hide!  I don’t like to be the center of attention.  But I would love to take my family on a swanky vacation.  First stop would be Italy!

Advice for aspiring writers on what not to do?

Don’t give up!  I’d like to share my favorite quote.  It’s on my desk and I read it every day.

“There are two weapons in the writer’s arsenal.  The first is stamina and the second is uncompromising belief in yourself.”

 

Want to get your man talking?  Give him booty!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And Shay LaCosta is pretty desperate. She's wrecked her blissful marriage of five years by demanding she and her husband Dylan have a baby. What the hell was she thinking? She knows she was wrong and she’s ready to set things right, if only Dylan will let her. Bet he can’t shun her Booty Camp offer: delicious, white-hot sex in exchange for what’s going on inside his brain.

Dylan may be macho and stubborn, but he really does miss his wife. A little of Shay's pushing gets him past their estrangement and into her web of seduction. She seems to have an erotic week mapped out to perfection, and who is he to complain? Their marriage is meant to be, so they'll fight with each other, and they'll fight for each other.

WARNING: Racy Language, Hot Sex, Seduction

Still Hot for You is available now at Lyrical Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Digital Bookstores everywhere.

Please visit DianeEscalera.com to learn more about my sexy tales.  I love to interact with readers!  Like my fan page on Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial.  Follow me on Twitter.com/DianeEscalera.

Thank you so much for being here, Diane! I can't wait to read, Still Hot for You. :)

Have a Sparkling Day!

Rebecca Rose