Cream of Tomato Soup

My first foray into gardening has reaped mass results.

You'll remember my raised garden bed that Hubby built for Mother's Day... well everything in it grew.

Too much to be honest.

I actually pulled out one tomato plant completely and then hacked away at the others with hedge trimmers.

But they still grew.

I felt like Jack and his beanstalk!

The result of all this horticultural goodness was an amazing crop of tomatoes -

- which were planted specifically so I could stockpile a vat of my Mom's famous cream of tomato soup.  

I can legitimately say "famous" because my parents made enough to serve 200 people at my wedding.  At the very least 200 people know about the deliciousness of this soup.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the best tomato soup you will ever taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onions (for a sweeter soup, use yellow onions, for one with a bit of kick, use spanish onions)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried dillweed
• 3 cups of tomatoes - peeled and quartered
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk

Now when I make soup, I make a lot.

The ingredients above will make 6 servings.

I multiplied that by 10 so I could have a freezer stash.

Directions:
In a large soup pot heat the oil and cook the onions, celery, basil and dill weed until the onions are soft.

While this is cooking, peel the tomatoes.

I drop them in a pot of boiling water and the skin quickly splits and you can peel it off easily.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In another saucepan melt the butter.  
Stir in the milk and flour.  
Cook and stir mixture constantly until it is thick and bubbly.

Add the milk mixture (roux) to the tomato mixture in the large soup pot.

Add the chicken stock and leave uncovered until the soup comes to a boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Once the soup has cooled, transfer to a blender and puree.

Label and store in the freezer for those chilly winter nights.

You're going to love this! 

Love you Mom!


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