Creamy tomato soup

Tomato soup was something I grew up on, only it was the kind from the Campbell's soup can. I think after I was 15 or 16 I grew to become fed up with it and stopped eating it completely. I'm so glad that I now found a recipe that is simple and somewhat fast. Plus, I always like knowing the contents of what I'm eating, and with this recipe, almost everything is healthy! It's best served with a classic grilled cheese sandwich... I used gouda cheese this time around. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients 

- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
- 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
- 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Croutons, for garnish


Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup and pour into a blender/food processor (or you can run it through a food mill) until smooth. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.