Vanilla Rum Pudding

Remember those yummy Butter Rum Life-Savers from your childhood? This pie filling/pudding transports you back to that time. Pour it into a pie crust, fill your favorite tart shell, or lick it, warm, straight from the spoon, BUT MAKE IT! Much to my dismay, I have to hand it to Martha once again, she doesn't hit the mark with every recipe, but when they are good they are really good.
I am only including the recipe for the filling, for the entire recipe including pie crust and flavored whipped cream, check out the link.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C granulated sugar
1/4 C cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 C milk
1 vanilla bean split lenghtwise, scrape seeds and save pod for the whipped cream
4 large egg yolks
1/4 C plus 1 T, rum. I used a little less, Martha suggests, Appleton the extra T is for the Whipped Cream
4 T unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and room temperature

PREPARATION:
In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine: sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in milk and vanilla seeds. Stir constantly until thick and bubbly. About 7 minutes total, 2 minutes after it comes to a boil it should thicken.

In another bowl, whisk yolks. Add cooked milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly, being careful not to scramble the eggs. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it returns to a boil. 1-2 minutes.

Strain pudding through a fine sieve to remove any lumps and stir in rum. Stir in butter one tablespoon at a time. Allow to cool, whisking occasionally for about 10 minutes.

Pour pudding into serving bowls, prepared crust or desired serving piece. Press plastic wrap directly on the pudding surface and refrigerate until set. 4 hours or up to 1 day.

Personally, I think it is a bit much served as a whole pie. I prefer to fill small pastry squares or pate choux.

Bacon Caramel Corn

Everything is better with bacon!  Caramel corn is no exception.  This is a wonderful candy caramel recipe to use even if it is just with the popcorn.  Feel free to omit the bacon if it is not to your liking and keep it simple and plain or add your favorite nut.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 LB Bacon, cut into small pieces, can cut and fry one day in advance
1/3 C Popcorn Kernels = 6 C popped, I always do a little more, there is plenty of caramel
1 C Butter
2 C Light Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 C Light Corn Syrup
2 t. Kosher Salt
1 t. Baking Soda
1 Lg. Foil disposable roasting pan


PREPARATION:
Fry bacon low and slow until nicely browned and drain on paper towel.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Pop corn in, preferably with an air popper.  I use the one my husband had in college, amazing that it still pops perfectly.  Remove any unpopped kernals and place corn in the foil pan, set aside.
In a large, heavy bottom stock pot, melt butter, corn syrup and salt over medium heat.

Roast Pork Shoulder

I have always wanted to cook a pork shoulder and, honestly I don't know why I have shied away for so long.
This recipe, from Bon Appetite, caught my eye and I decided to throw caution to the wind and try this out on my family this past New Year's Eve.  "Why not start this year off with a little mystery, take a chance!"  My motto for 2014.
Lesson learned:  Risks pay off!  
As is always the case, I did not follow the recipe to a tee. Almost, but not quite, I did not make the slaw when serving as a main dish. (See the complete original recipe along with my changes below)  As you can see by my picture, I upped the ante on the carrots, my family loves roasted carrots, so the more the merrier.

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1/4 cup kosher salt plus more

1/4 cup sugar

1 7–8-lb. skinless bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt or picnic)

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

4-5 carrots (I peel & quarter them, roast with the pork and serve on the side)

My other addition 1 large can of Italian cut green beans

1 large carrot  (I do not make this slaw when serving as a meal, see notes below)

1 apple, Granny Smith 

4 cups stemmed mustard greens 

1 tablespoon olive oil

PREPARATION:

Crush fennel seeds and peppercorns with the bottom of a heavy skillet, or use a mortar and pestle. Transfer spices to a small bowl; add 1/4 cup salt and sugar. Rub mixture all over shoulder. Place in a large glass baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 325°. Brush off spice rub from meat and place pork in a deep roasting pan; discard excess spice rub and any liquid in dish. (Place peeled carrots in pan with roast.)  Add 1 cup boiling water to roasting pan; cover pan tightly with foil. (Create a tight seal to lock in the steam and juices.)  (I add the beans with about an hour remaining in the cooking process.)

Transfer pan to oven and roast until meat is very tender and falling off the bone (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center without touching the bone will read 195°), about 5 1/2 hours.

Remove pan from oven; discard foil. (I set the foil aside and use it to tent the roast while reducing the sauce in the next step.) Increase heat to 500°. Stir 1/4 cup vinegar and brown sugar into juices in pan. Return to oven and roast, watching closely to prevent burning, until pork is browned and liquid begins to reduce, about 12 minutes.

Transfer pork (and veggies in my case) to a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. (Tent with the foil.) Pour liquid in pan into a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil and cook, occasionally spooning off fat from surface, until a thick, syrupy glaze forms, about 10 minutes. There will be about 1 1/2 cups glaze and up to 1 cup fat; discard fat. Season glaze with salt and pepper; set aside.

Using a peeler, peel carrot into thin ribbons. Core, quarter, and thinly slice apple. Mix carrot, apple, greens, oil, and remaining 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a platter. Top with pork; pour reserved glaze over pork. Serve with tongs.

(This makes a nice slaw accompaniment to the pork, I knew my family wouldn't eat it so I skipped this step.) For a perfect casual party:  Make this recipe a day in advance, pull the pork, then reheat the pork in the sauce and serve with small brioche buns, top with just a little slaw.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/09/slow-roasted-glazed-pork-shoulder#ixzz2OnT8Z4UX

Best Vanilla Cake EVER

Cam wanted a vanilla cake for his birthday, so I set out upon a quest to make him the yummiest vanilla cake ever. "Would you like it to have a banana cream or coconut filling?" I ask. "Nope." "Can I make a flavored icing?" "Nope, just vanilla cake?" Should I make it two layers?" I try to give this cake just hint of character. "Nope, just square and plain cream cheese icing, please." Finally, I relent and make a one layer vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting, he did allow almond flavored frosting though. It was after all, HIS birthday. As is the case many times, Cam's limitation for imagination in cooking won out and produced one of the simplest and yummiest cakes I have tasted in a very long time. I hate to admit it, but Martha steps up to the plate again and we have a winner! I appologize in advance for the lack luster appearance of the finished product, not much you can do with square and vanilla. I will include a "borrowed" image of Martha's much more exciting photo of the cake.

OBVIOUSLY MARTHA'S. As always, I did add one little touch. I made a quick vanilla simple syrup and brushed it over the cake prior to icing the cake. The crumb of this cake was wonderful, dense yet light and very moist, must have been my syrup! : )

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 3 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 cup low-fat buttermilk Cooking Spray SIMPLE SYRUP: 1 C granulated sugar 1 C water Stir together in a small sauce pan bring to a boil, stirring and allow to simmer until it thickens slightly. Approximately 5 minutes, cool slightly and brush over cake.

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans or one 10" square pan, tapping out excess flour. (I was SOOO tempted to line with parchment, because I ALWAYS line with parchment, but I listened to Martha and, she was right, the cake came out of the pan beautifully!) In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. The batter is very thick, so don't worry. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. While the cake is baking make your frosting. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool 5-10 minutes while you prepare the simple syrup. This is where my imagination wanted to run wild and create all kinds of crazy flavors with coconut, raspberry or butter pecan liquors I have in the cabinet, but Cam kept me grounded and I kept it plain and simple. Allow the syrup to cool slightly and brush over the cake allowing it to soak in and brush again. I used approximately 1/4 C of the syrup. Frost the cake with your desired type of frosting and flavor. FROSTING: 1 Stick of butter, I use salted but unsalted is fine too, room temperature 1 8oz. block of cream cheese, room temperature 16oz. powdered sugar 1 tsp. flavoring, I use almond, but vanilla is fine

PREPARATION: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended and no lumps appear. Add flavoring. Add sugar in small batches on low, until combined.

My finished product:

Carrot Cake Muffins TWO ways

This is a great carrot cake recipe I have been making for more than 20 years. Back in the day when I was a buyer, one of our vendors sent me a cookbook to place in our stores . . . don't remember if I ever bought this particular one, I think I did, but I found this recipe and loved it! The book is Bobwhite Quail & Buttermilk Biscuits.
When the kids were little I would make it for Easter. I have a bunny head shaped muffin pan that was perfect and we would ice and decorate. Recently, I baked them as regular muffins but still wanted that cream cheese flavor without icing them and turning them into more of a cupcake. This is what I came up with. . . a cream cheese filling adapted from another recipe and it worked beautifully. I have included all of the icing variations offered in the book. I have never tried the Glaze, but now that I have taken a closer look, I may have to try it soon!
I also love that this batter can be mixed so easily by hand.



INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 C Salad Oil, I use Canola or Vegetable oil
2 C Sugar
2 C Cake flour, I use all purpose
2 tsp. Baking Powder
3 C Grated Carrots
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
4 Eggs
1 C Chopped Pecans, optional

PREPARATION:
Grease and flour 3, 9 inch round cake pans, or line muffin pans with paper liners, or grease and flour a shaped pan, your call.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine oil and sugar in a large bowl, mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients. Sift half of the dry ingredients into the sugar/oil mixture. (I don't double sift as it describes in the recipe, I sift once then follow the remaining directions.) Sift remaining dry ingredients alternating with the eggs one at a time. Add carrots and mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into the prepared pans. If baking muffins, fill cups 3/4 full, bake plain or add a teaspoon full of the cream cheese mixture. I did half and half.
Cake: Bake for 25 minutes, rotating if necessary and test with a toothpick. Muffins: bake approximately 15 minutes, I always rotate half way through baking and test a couple of minutes prior to test for doneness. Every oven bakes differently, so get to know yours and adjust temperatures and cooking times accordingly.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 Stick Butter, softened
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 C Finely Chopped Pecans
1 box Confectioners Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla, I also like almond extract for a change
I don't put nuts in both the cake and the frosting, I think it is a little overkill.

PREP: Combine butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add nuts and spread on the cake.

CARROT CAKE GLAZE:
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Buttermilk
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 T. Light Corn Syrup
Dash of salt

PREP: Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until thickened, about 2 or 3 minutes. That is all the recipe says, I am guessing you just pour or spread it over the cake layers??? I will have to try this.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
5 1/2 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 C powdered sugar

PREP: Mix cream cheese and egg until combined well. Mix in the powdered sugar. Scoop a full teaspoon into the center of each muffin and bake.

Gingerbread Caramels (Martha Stewart's)

THANKS MARTHA!!!
What a great discovery. This caramel recipe is so easy and the perfect holiday gift! Martha Stewart does it again. One slight change, since I made them with a friend, who happens to not enjoy nutmeg, we left that out. Didn't really notice any great difference, they still had an amazing gingerbread flavor. The best part is you can cut them however big or small you like. We had a ridiculous yield from a double batch. Everyone I gave them to couldn't thank me enough. These will become a staple in my holiday baking.

I also drizzled some with chocolate and of course you could dip the entire caramel as well. The best part is these tiny squares of buttery goodness can be kept for one month. The perfect do-ahead treat! Take full advantage of that. **These need to sit over night prior to cutting and they do take a while to wrap, so give yourself plenty of time, they are not a last minute job.
I have included Martha's directions almost word for word, along with some of the things I have found helpful.



INGREDIENTS:
4 C heavy cream
2 C light corn syrup
4 C sugar
6 oz. unsalted butter, 12 T. cut into small pieces
1 1/2 C unsulfered molasses
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
Pam, cooking spray

PREPARATION:
Prepare your pan, spray a half sheet pan with cooking spray and line with two pieces of parchment paper, allowing it to overhand the sides and ends of the pan. Spray parchment with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large pot (I use a heavy copper pot, it is the best conductor of heat) over high heat, bring cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and molasses to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. (Martha says 20 minutes, but it usually takes longer)

I SAY: Have your spices mixed and ready to go, it is a good idea to put them through a fine sieve, and sprinkle evenly over the surface of the caramel. If you just drop them in, they tend to clump. MARTHA SAYS: Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, salt, and spices. Immediately pour onto prepared sheet, without scraping pot. (I scrape the pot, just not the bottom) It is great to do this with a friend, the extra pair of hands are such a blessing. Let stand, uncovered, 24 hours at room temperature (do not move pan).

I SAY: If you use a large plastic cutting board, you do not need to coat it with additional cooking spray. I don't worry about the exact size in inches. I begin by cutting the piece of caramel in half, then again in half and again, until I have each original half cut into quarters. It is much easier to manage the smaller pieces and just eyeball it. I do not like the waxed paper wrappers. You can find cellophane on line in packages of 1,000. You will be surprised how quickly you will go through the wrappers. MARTHA SAYS: Generously coat a large cutting board with cooking spray. Lifting it by the parchment overhang, invert caramel onto the cutting board; use a sharp knife to loosen parchment, and remove. Cut into 1-by-1 1/4-inch pieces. Wrap each in cellophane or waxed paper. Caramels can be stored up to 1 month in airtight containers.

Acorn Squash

A Fall Favorite! I grew up with this squash growing in the garden and my mom preparing it by roasting it in the oven using butter, salt and pepper. She would halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, fill the center with butter, salt and pepper and bake in the oven until tender. This version is a little more flavorful and cooks a little quicker. I love coming back to these childhood staples and creating something just a little bit different. I have added a new twist to "Mom's acorn squash", by cutting them differently and adjusting the seasoning.


INGREDIENTS:
1 Acorn Squash
Salt & Pepper
2 T Butter, melted
2 T Olive Oil
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 C Brown Sugar

PREPARATION:
Slice the squash in half length wise and remove seeds. Continue to slice the squash into rings that are about 1/2 inch thick. Cut those rings in half if desired. Line a jelly roll pan(half sheet, 9X15X 1/2inch pan) with foil. Place squash in pan and drizzle with olive oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, cayenne and sprinkle with brown sugar. Flip squash pieces half way through cooking. Roast in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes until tender.

Sweet & Savory Asian Short Ribs

Nothing says fall, like comfort food and short ribs are one of my favorite dishes to cook and eat. I wanted to get away from the standard tomato and red wine base. After researching various recipes, I decided to go with ingredients that suggest an Asian flavor. Loosely based on a recipe from Country Living, this is what I came up with and boy was it a hit! Once again, to my surprise, Beep shared that he may like this version better than the original. I also loved the cut of the ribs I used for this recipe, I had never seen them this way. The ribs were cut across the bone, so they were about 1 inch thick and three bones in length, rather than one bone that is usually 4 inches in length. I found them at my local Sams Club and they seemed to have less fat and more meat when sliced this way.
Next time, I plan to have a few additional ingredients on hand to add to the final dish, water chestnuts, baby bok choy and pea pods would make for a more well rounded meal.

INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 - 4 pounds short ribs
2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. adobo seasoning
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Use these measurements as a ratio, sometimes you may need to prepare additional seasonings to coat all the meat.
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 C red wine, I use my standard cooking red, 12 Gauge Cabernet
1/2 C soy sauce
1 C stock, beef if you have it, but chicken will work too
2 C water
6 oz. apricot jam
4-5 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3 inch sections
cooked rice, I have found a new favorite brand: Della, a two pound bag found at Central Market for around $5.
Siracha chili sauce
baby bok choy, quartered
1 can sliced water chestnuts
pea pods

PREPARATION:
Season the short ribs and brown in a large skillet in batches until well caramelized on all sides, place in a roasting pan as you brown each rib.


In the skillet, after all ribs are browned, saute the diced onion until translucent, just a couple of minutes. Deglaze the pan adding the wine and stock, lightly scraping all browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to simmer and add the soy, water and jam, stirring until all ingredients are incorporated.
Meanwhile prepare the carrots and add them to the roasting pan. Pour the onions and sauce mixture over the meat and carrots in the roasting pan, cover and roast in the oven for 2 hours. Depending on the size of your ribs, cooking time may vary,the meat should be tender and falling off the bone. I like to prepare this part of the dish ahead, even the day before in some instances.
Remove the meat and carrots from the pan and set aside. Pour the sauce into a separate container and "degrease" the sauce.(if you prepare the day before, the grease will collect and solidify on top and can be easily removed.) If not, skim grease from the top with a spoon, to get the last remnants, use the heel from a loaf of bread, placed flat on the top of the sauce and discard the bread.
Depending on serving time, either refrigerate and follow heating instructions or proceed with these instructions.


Prepare 2 Cups of uncooked rice, following cooking instructions. I use basmati rice.
Meanwhile, in a deep skillet over medium to medium low heat, begin heating the sauce, allowing it to reduce slightly. Taste the sauce and adjust any seasonings, you can add more jam at this point if you would like your sauce to be a little sweeter or pepper flakes for more heat. Add the ribs and carrots to the pan. I pull some of the remaining fat off the ribs, if there is an excessive amount. If any of the rib bones fall off at this point simply discard them. Next time, I will add the water chestnuts, bok choy and pea pods at this point and allow them to simmer and cook through.
To serve, spoon rice into bowls, top with meat, veggies and sauce. I think this makes for a perfect bowl, but Beep likes to top his with Siracha sauce for some extra heat. He also enjoyed the entire mixture stuffed in tortillas, believe it or not!

Profiteroles/Gougeres

Fresh from the oven: profiteroles, can be eaten just as they are or stuffed with just about any filling you can imagine. They also freeze wonderfully and re-crisp easily in the oven. I prefer to re-crisp them even when serving the same day.

Tiny ham stuffed gougeres make a fantastic appetizer.




INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup finely grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
1 C water
5 T butter
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 C AP flour
5 Large eggs
Special tools: a 40, 70 or 100 cookie scoop
I like to use a 40 scoop if filling or use 100 to serve all by themselves. I almost always double the recipe for a party . . . you will get 24 sandwich size from a single batch. I bake more and fill with a variety of fillings.

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grate the cheese. In a medium sauce pan heat the water, butter, salt, and pepper over medium high heat and bring to a boil. When butter is completely melted, remove from the heat and add all the flour to this mixture in a stand up mixer bowl. If you don't have a stand up mixer, you can mix right in the pan with a wooden spoon, but be ready for a workout!
Beat on medium high with your paddle attachment until the dough leaves the side of the pan. The texture should somewhat resemble mashed potatoes.
Add the cheese and beat until incorporated. Beat in 4 of the eggs, ONE AT A TIME, until each is absorbed by the dough. Continue to beat until the dough is shiny, smooth and when pinched between finger and thumb, it will stretch.
Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Beat the last egg with 1/2 T. water and brush the tops of the uncooked puffs.
Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 20 minutes an golden brown. You can tap them to test doneness, they should sound hollow. Remove from the oven and serve or store air tight or freeze in baggies to re-crisp and serve later.

To Re-Crisp: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place on a parchment lined baking sheet, heat 3-5 minutes if room temperature or 5-8 if frozen. Check for crispness often during reheating as ovens may vary.

Slice 3/4 of the way through with a serrated knife and fill with you favorite sandwich pairings. Here are a few I enjoy: ham with spicy mustard aioli, roast beef with sundried tomato aioli, chicken salad, curried chicken salad, turkey with lemon arugula mayonnaise. You can also switch the cheese to 1 1/2 C Parmesan and play with the seasonings as well, adding curry powder, garlic powder and nutmeg. NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH!

Chicken & Rice Soup

The cool weather has finally reached Texas, that means soup time! I was very ambitious and made two this week: an old favorite, Pasta Fagioli and a new concoction, this one. Loosely based on a favorite from trips to Mexico, this is my very "gringo" version of Pazole. Beep had purchased two rotisserie chickens before leaving town and after a couple of days I noticed an untouched chicken staring back at me every time I opened the refrigerator. What to do with that lonely chicken??? It has dropped below 70 degrees, so, "make soup," I thought to myself. The chicken had a neighbor named cilantro, that was left over from some salsa that had been made a few days prior, and I still have jalapenos growning in the back yard, "Make it Mexican soup!" So I did.
Beep LOVED it, I was shocked at just how much he loved it, he barely touched one of his all time favorites, the Pasta Fagioli.


STOCK INGREDIENTS:
1 Rotisserie Chicken
1 Clove garlic
1 Stalk celery
1/4 Yellow onion
1 Handful cilantro leaves and stems
Large pinch Saffron threads

PREPARATION:
6-8 Cups water, enough to cover the chicken
Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and pull off meat, discarding skin, fat and bones. Set pulled chicken aside. Strain broth into a large glass bowl through a fine sieve, set aside.

SOUP INGREDIENTS:
2 T Olive oil
1/4 Cup diced celery
1/4 Cup diced yellow onion
1 tsp. Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp. adobo seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 Roasted jalapeno, seeded and minced (Roast over an open flame or in the oven until the skin bubbles and is blackened.)
1 15oz Can Hominy
8 oz. Chicken broth plus reserved broth from above
1 Large red tomato, seeded and diced
Cilantro and Avocado for garnish
1 Cup cooked white rice, I used Basmati rice

PREPARATION:
In the same stock pot, over medium heat, add olive oil and saute celery and onion until caramelized. Season with salt, pepper, adobo, and cumin. Add the jalapeno and saute a minute or two. Pour reserved broth and 8 oz. of broth into the pot. Add the chicken and cooked rice to the pot, simmer 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Turn off heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, slice and seed one large tomato. Dice the "meat" of the tomato and add to the soup. Serve with cilantro garnish and slices of fresh avocado or refrigerate and garnish prior to serving. In Cancun, they garnish with sliced radish as well, but I didn't have any on hand.