jmcquown wrote:
> Bob wrote:
>> Jill and Michael collaborated:
>>
>>>> Hmmm...I would brown the sausage
>>>
>>>> Keep an eye on it and add water to thin the tomato sauce if needed.
>>>> Add the cooked rice the last few minutes and add more diluted soup
>>>> base if needed. This is a fly by the seat of your whisk momemt but
>>>> I would go ahead with it.
>>>>
>>>> Michael
>>>
>>> Thanks, Michael. Sounds like a plan to me!
>>
>> Do you have an Parmesan cheese or beans? A can of white beans would
>> add heft to the soup, and Parmesan seems like it would complement the
>> soup nicely.
>
> I don't have any cooked white beans although I agree that would be a
> good choice for next time. (This time I'm adding already cooked
> rice.) Oh and darnit, I don't have Parm but I could grate some white
> cheddar on top... we'll see
>
> Do the tomatoes have basil in
>> them, or are they "pure"?
>
> Plain ol' maters. In fact, rather than using the stewed I used
> canned whole tomatoes and tomato sauce. Mashed them up in the pan
> and added some of the diluted beef base and the sauce. Seasoned with
> black pepper (and a couple of dashes of hot sauce!), oregano and
> basil. It's still simmering on low; like a tomato sauce (granted,
> from canned) it needs time to blend the flavours. I haven't added
> the rice yet; will do that at the very end. I will be tasting and
> adjusting seasonings and eat a bowl of this tomorrow. (I'm sticking
> to my resolution not to eat after 8:00 PM.) I'll report back.
>
> Jill
>>
>> Bob

Absolutely delicious! I'll definitely do it again. The whole tomatoes
cooked down and were nice and soft. Just a splash of red wine after further
browning the already cooked Italian sausage. I put in lots of minced
garlic, added a little salt after tasting it (although I prefer to add salt
at the table, it needed some). Black pepper, oregano, basil and I think
next time I might throw a bay leaf in there. Couple of dashes of hot sauce.
Then I added about 1/2 cup of cooked rice (still frozen!) in the last 10
minutes or so. Grated (sorry, no Parm) some white cheddar on top. Yum! A
good "whatcha got in the pantry?" soup. Would probably be good even without
the Italian sausage, although without it I'd definitely add some fennel or
anise seed.

Jill