Tomato Cream Soup

Cream of Tomato Soup

Recipe courtesy Georgia Downard


Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, chopped, or 3/4 cup frozen chopped onions
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, including juices
* 2 cups reduced-sodium canned chicken broth
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seassoning
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 cup light cream or milk
* Salt and pepper


Directions

In a large nonreactive saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes without allowing to color. Add tomatoes with their juices, broth, tomato paste, basil, Italian seasonings and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer stirring frequently, 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

With a food processor or immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Return to pan and stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes, and serve.

Tips:
I've blended this in a blender, food processor and with an immersion blender, and I've found the immersion blender to be the only one I can manage without getting tomato soup everywhere

Sometimes, like today, I don't have any cream on hand so I just eat tomato soup. Still delicious!