Roasted Red Pepper Soup

It's always a shocker where we live when you actually get good customer service. Those experiences really make an impression since most of the time service around here is pretty awful. That's why I love the A&P Supermarket nearby. It's clean, it's been recently remodeled so it's really nice inside, and the employees are really nice, for the most part. This last week when we were there, the lady behind the deli counter heard me mention to another customer that it was close to dinner time for the kids. So this employee brought out a few pieces of freshly sliced cheese that I could feed my kids. How cool is that!?! That cheese was the only way we made it through the experience alive. The other cool thing I discovered at A&P is a little cart thing where they put semi-old vegetables that are on sale for dirt cheap, like these 6 red bell peppers for $.99 (total, not per pound):
Of course, I had to buy 3 trays of the bell peppers. They're just a little bit wrinkled on the outside but other than that they're fine, and for that price...who cares if they're a little old! The first time I had roasted red peppers was when I first made this soup a few months ago. It's so good I just had to share.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Roast 6 large red bell peppers and set aside
Heat in a soup pot over medium-low heat:
3 T olive oil
Add and cook until tender not browned, 10 to 15 minutes:
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. chopped celery
Stir in the roasted peppers along with:
6 cups chicken broth
3 T. white rice
2 t. dried basil
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. fennel seeds (I didn't have these)
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes (I was out so I just added a dash or two of cayenne pepper)
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until the peppers and rice are very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in:
1/2 c. cream
2-3 drops balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!


(Some of the dark flecks in the soup are from spices, but most come from the fact that I got distracted in the first phase of cooking the onions, carrots, and celery and they burned a bit. But you couldn't even tell from the taste of the soup.)