soup

One of my VERY favorite restaurants in Las Vegas is Firefly.

I first found out about Firefly during my first EVER trip to Las Vegas when a friend of mine suggested we go there because she saw it on Racheal Ray’s $40 Dollars a Day show. (Seriously, what happened to that show??)

Not only was it my first weekend in Vegas, but it was my first introduction to tapas. So delish!

Since then, I’ve been back to Firefly many a times (including Angela and Jamie’s rehearsal dinner.) I’m also hoping to be back at my favorite Spanish restaurant this week during my work trip to Las Vegas. What makes this restaurant so fantastic, you ask?

It’s got an amazing feel to it… and everyone there seems to be having a wonderful night. I love a good atmosphere in a restaurant! Also, the food is incredibly flavorful in a way I rarely fine. The nature of tapas is small bites… at Firefly, you get small FANTASTIC bites. For me, this means warm spinach salad, beautiful steak skewers, and the most delicious gazpacho I’ve ever tasted.

Another fantastic thing about Firefly is that there prices are VERY reasonable… while it’s a little way off the strip, it’s definitely worth the drive. Try it next time you’re in Sin City, you won’t be sorry!

Firefly Gazpacho

From Firefly Las Vegas and Racheal Ray

Serves 5

INGREDIENTS

4 ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup diced stale or lightly toasted baguette bread
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper, seeded (can substitute hot sauce)
Kosher salt
Sliced or diced avocado, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a medium pot. Cut an “x” shape on the tops and bottoms of the tomatoes. Boil the tomatoes until the skin begins to peel back, about 20 to 30 seconds. Plunge the tomatoes into a bowl of iced water to chill. Peel and seed the tomatoes, then chop them.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, and tomato juice. Mix well.

3. Add the diced bread to soak.

4. In another bowl, combine the chopped tomato, cucumber, red pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Reserve 1/2 cup of this chopped mixture for garnish, if desired. Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

5. Serve chilled and garnish with the avocado and reserved diced vegetables, if desired.

Individual Layered Salads

Jenny Volumizing: Chicken Spinach & Artichoke Pizzas

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

Last week, I got an email from one of my beet-loving Twitter friends. Jen and I bond over fabulous beet recipes and new ways to cook with our favorite root vegetable. (She blogs over at Such a Funny Fat… check her out!)

When she sent me this borcht recipe from the new Weight Watchers cookbook… I knew I wanted to try it. My usual picky self, I was a little nervous about the dish… but I went ahead and made it.

I’ve honestly never made such a pretty soup. Just gorgeous.

It also confirms something. I do, in fact, have a beet-colored bathroom!!!

The base of the soup is made from every purple vegetable you can imagine: Beets, Red Onion, and Purple Cabbage!

No wonder it has such a fantastic color! The soup itself can be served cold or warm, but my preference was definitely warm. Try it both ways and see what you think.