Tomato Soup

The original recipe for this soup came from my wonderful friend Wendi (who I am hoping will soon be adding her awesome recipes to the list on here) but I made a few small changes. This is such a great soup and it has been a frequent here at our house lately. My kids love it. I can't wait until our tomatoes are on this fall so I can use fresh from our garden to make it.

Tomato Soup:

3 cans Italian stewed tomatoes

2 medium carrots

1/2 of a medium onion

2-3 stalks celery

1 clove garlic

1 red pepper
6 cups chicken broth
bay leaf
olive oil
1/2 cup cream

preheat oven to 400 degrees. drain the tomatoes reserving the liquid. Place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and coat with 1/4 cup olive oil and place in the oven 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile in your soup pot melt 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp and saute onion, celery, red pepper and garlic. Once onions are translucent add chicken broth, carrot and bay leaf and simmer until carrots are tender. about 15 minute. Then remove bay leaf, add reserved tomato juices and tomatoes. Using immersion blender (or transfer to a blender if you don't have a stick blender) blend until it is smooth and has no lumps. Add the cream and serve.

note: the original recipe calls for fresh basil which is a GREAT addition, I found when I use the Italian stewed tomatoes that I don't need the basil so I don't stress if I don't have any. But when you use fresh tomatoes or plain diced canned tomatoes, it really needs some other flavor. I have found if I don't have the fresh basil a few tablespoons of prepared pesto is really yummy.