Creamy red pepper soup for IHCC

So it's already the 9th week that whe are cooking with Giada over at i heart cooking club, one thirth of our time with her is up. Wath do hou think of her and her cooking? Because i don't know it yet..
I have to confess i still don't own a book of Giada, running true her recipes online is that one of my problems with her or that i can't easily make a lot of her recipe because i can't get the ingredients.
The stuff i did cook i liked but i wasn't amazed by most of them, so maybe i can still change this feeling around with some help of you all.


This week theme is: warm the belly, fill the soul.
Right now as i'm working on this post the first snow of the season is falling, what a coinsidence. I love the snow, but you have to know something about Dutch people "they are always complaning about the weather" like "it's to hot" or "it's so cold" and "it's going to snow" they are never satisfied with almost any kind of weather. I on the other hand can't hardly wait till the seasons are changing and snow starts to fall. In my early days after a day of laughter and playing in the snow, trowing snowballs to each other and making the biggest snowman you could, taking sleigh rides and making angels in the snow. My mum would call us in for dinner and she often made soup or a real dutch "stamppot" (Mash pot).
So i'm filling my soul with all this happy chilhood memory's and the love for the snow is falling and warming my belly with this Creamy red bell pepper soup.




Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis
at the foodnetwork.com

cooking time:45 minutes
Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
6 cups chicken broth
2 (12-ounce) jars roasted red bell peppers preserved in water, drained
1 russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 (3/4-inch thick) baguette slices, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, bell peppers, potato, wine, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool the soup slightly.

Using an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot until it is smooth. Alternately, working in batches, puree the soup in a regular blender, taking care while blending warm liquids. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop a tablespoon of mascarpone in the center of each bowl and top with croutons. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.