Featured recipe from Marilu's table * SPArty gazpacho

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This soup is great for warmer weather, and it's easy to put together, especially with a Vitamix (our directions included below).

We like to add a peeled cucumber and a couple of tomatoes to the mix of veggies, too. And we've been known to serve the soup with a small wedge of lime or lemon – if we have it.

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SPArty Gazpacho

Purple * Serves 4

2 yellow, or Vidalia, onions

2 green peppers, seeded and chopped fine

2 red, orange or yellow peppers, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1-1/2 cups tomato juice

pinch of cayenne pepper

3 Tablespoons chopped dill

3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

4 small slices avocado for garnish

Chop all vegetables, put in large bowl or tureen. Whisk oil, vinegar, and tomato juice together, adding cayenne, dill and cilantro. Pour over vegetables, mix gently. Chill 3 hours or more, covered. Serve plain or with small slice of avocado on top.

To make in a Vitamix *

Keep the produce in the fridge until you're ready to make the soup. Don't chop it fine, just remove seeds or peels (as appropriate) and cut it in big chunks. Put the ingredients in the blender container in this order – tomato juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, onions, peppers, cayenne, dill, cilantro. Put the switch on variable 1. Turn on, and increase the speed to 4. Blend about 30-45 seconds, so it's still a little chunky. No need to chill unless you want the flavors to blend a little. Serve.