Michelle's gazpacho

Greetings, everyone! I am back and ready to cook. I hope I haven't lost any of my faithful readers over the past 6 weeks. I had a much-needed break from the kitchen and got some freelance articles done.

Well now, I realize tomatoes aren't in season, but when you have a craving for something -- especially something healthy -- I say go for it!

Enter Michelle's gazpacho, which I've been thinking about for a few days now.

As some of you know, Michelle is my sister. She lived in Madrid for several years, and I shared her awesome tortilla recipe in a previous post.

Her gazpacho is also delish. She keeps it very simple and leaves out any garlic and onions, both of which are optional. Ordinarily, I say the more garlic and onions, the better, but not here. With this recipe, simplicity is what makes it so good. It's so fresh and tasty, and I am always amazed at how flavorful a few ingredients thrown together can be. A very important ingredient is the bread, which thickens the soup ever so slightly.

Please note that these ingredient amounts are just estimates, and you can change them depending on your personal tastes.

Michelle's gazpacho (makes about 3 cups)

4 large Roma tomatoes

1 large cucumber

1 green pepper (I use a mild poblano, but just regular bell pepper will also do)

1 chunk of stale bread, soaked in water (I used a 3-inch-long piece of day-old French bread)

a couple splashes of vinegar -- balsamic or sherry vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

Chop ingredients coarsely, and process until smooth in a food processor or blender. Strain. Serve chilled and topped with toasted croutons.

P.S. It's 72 degrees today! Hooray!