Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Smooth, creamy, rich, basily deliciousisness!!! I don't know any better way to describe it!!!!  We enjoyed this soup tremendously.....well, my husband and I that is!  (Ella and Gavin wouldn't eat it, but in my defense, they don't eat Campbell's Tomato Soup either.  Maybe it's a smooth texture thing?!)  It was the perfect balance of tomato vs. basil.  I added a small touch of sugar, just to sweeten it ever so slightly, and the cream I added really "mellowed" out all of the flavors.  It really was divine!

I got a little fancy and made some Asiago, Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwiches to go with our homemade soup!  They were incredible!  They were even better dunked in our soup!  My husband thought I was a genius.  I'm going to go with that!  LOL  Of course, I've posted the pictures and "recipe" below for you.  You may as well look like a genius with your family too!  No one has to know whose idea it was!  Claim it for your own and knock their socks off!  LOL

Ok, go get this soup simmering in your crock!!!!!  You don't want to miss out on this!

Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup

This recipe serves approximately 6-8 people

Ingredients: 

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic (or 1-2 cloves, chopped)

2 tsp. oregano

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade it (that means to cut it into thin little strips.  gather your basil into a bunch and use you knife to cut thin little "ribbons")  

28 oz. can stewed tomatoes

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. sugar

2 cups vegetable broth (I used 2 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes)

2 cups heavy cream (I used half and half)

Directions: (I used a 6 Quart Slow Cooker for this)

Place your onions and garlic in the bottom of your crock.

Add in the basil, oregano, salt, pepper and sugar.

Now add your stewed and crushed tomatoes.

Pour in your broth and give it a stir.

Cook on LOW for 6-9 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4.5 hours.

*I cooked mine in a Reynolds Slow Cooker liner, but poured it out of the bag and into the crock before I used my immersion blender to smooth it out!

Once it's cooked, use and immersion blender to smooth out your soup.

Take out about a cup of your soup and place it in a heat safe bowl, or measuring cup.

Now, SLOWLY add your cream to this small amount of soup, a TINY bit at a time while you whisk CONSTANTLY!!!!  You're tempering your cream right now so your soup doesn't curdle.

Slowly pour your tempered cream back into your crock with the rest of your soup as you continue to whisk it.  I ended up using my immersion blender again just to smooth is out completely.

Ready for the Fancy Grilled Cheese?!!!

What you need:

Freshly baked Italian Bread, sliced

Asiago cheese slices

Fresh Spinach

Sun-dried tomatoes

Butter

Butter 2 pieces of bread, on one or two sides, whatever you prefer.  Place them buttered side down in the pan and put a slice of the asiago on them (this is like your glue).

Layer on your sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and a final layer of cheese.

Top it off with your final buttered piece of bread. 

 Toast it until golden brown on both sides.

Cut it for ultimate dipping potential!

ENJOY!