Roasted Tomato Soup

I'd been dying to make this soup for a long time now...the weather is perfect for soups, and it had been a while since I made this soup. I love it, and it's soooo much better than store-bought tomato soup! Like, a gazillion times better. And then some. It's hardly even the same soup.

I start out with a can of diced tomatoes. I know, fresh would've been better, but all I had is canned. So, canned it was. I roast the tomatoes first, hence the "roasted tomato soup." Brilliant, huh? I used a big can (28oz or something I think...don't want to get up and go look!) and I drained it first, reserving the juice in case I needed it earlier. I'd advise you to do the same.

I sprinkle the drained tomatoes with salt, pepper, and a generous bit of olive oil. Then I roast at 450* until caramelized....15 minutes or so. (I was in the process of cleaning the oven so I used our toaster oven thing instead of the real oven)

While that roasts, I chop up onion, garlic, celery, and carrot. I used 2 smallish onions, a few cloves of garlic, 2 stalks of celery, and enough baby carrots to equal 2 regular size ones...roughly. No big deal about measurements here!!!

I sauteed them in a skillet, with plenty (precise measurement) of butter and olive oil.

Until I thought they looked done enough...cooked through and yummy looking. :)

Now add the roasted tomatoes...

2 cups of chicken broth...

And 1/4 cup of butter...

Now let it simmer...

Until everything is cooked nice and soft. You want all the veggies to be done...

Now for the fun part! Blend it up in the blender until it's smooth. Be careful...it's really hot! Then pour it into a soup pot. The logical thing to pour it into, if you ask me.

Add 1 cup of cream...

And a little basil. What I wouldn't give to have had some fresh basil!!! (Yes, the soup color is strange...don't ask me why!)

And now you can adjust the thickness of the soup with the reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, or cream...

And it is incredible served with a grilled cheese sandwich. Just saying.