GAZPACHO

It's summer! It's July! And it's HOT.  I have lived in the Chicago area all my life and still can never get used to the summers and the swealtering heat.  It reached 100 degrees today and the humidity level is HIGH.  I so love winter....................................

Here is a great recipe for a COLD soup.  Perhaps Jon and Christina Bella can post a recipe for Sangria to go along with this recipe.  (They just got back from Spain!!)

                                               GAZPACHO

2 Cups Tomato Juice

1 large cucumber, peeled and diced

2 small onions, peeled and chopped

2 whole tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, or 1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes

1 large green pepper, seeded and diced

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2-cup olive oil

The zest of 1 lemon and it's juice

1/2 cup half and half (can substitute 1/2 cup of yogurt)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Garnish:

Chopped parsley or cilantro

Diced Tomato

Chopped cucumber

Chopped red and green peppers

Red pepper flakes

1.  Put all the soup ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree into smooth. 

2.  Chill 3 hours or overnight.

3.  Serve in chilled soup dishes, if possible.  Allow each person to add his/her own garnishes.