Tomato Basil Soup

This soup is my little girl's favorite!  When we go out, if she knows the place has this soup, it is most certainly what she will end up with. It hasn't been that long since I fell in love with it. 

I created a version of it that we all love, and I find it is a great lunch to have at home. You can serve it up with a grilled cheese or just crackers. Sprinkle on some parmesan and enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

• 2tbsp olive oil

• 2-28oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes in juices

• onion- 1 cup

• celery- 1/2 cup

• carrot- 1/2 cup

• salt- 1 1/4tsp

• pepper- 1 tsp

• basil- 2 tbsp

• marjoram- 1tsp

• ground oregano- 1/2tsp

• heavy cream- 1 cup, more to taste

• 2 cups chicken broth, more to taste

• balsamic vinegar- tbsp

Pour in the 2tbsp of olive oil in a heated pan.  Place onions, celery and carrot and cook down.  You do not want your onions to brown, but you want them to be translucent.  This usually takes about 10 minutes. 

Pour in the 2 cans of tomatoes. Place all seasonings in the pan as well and let them simmer down, about 25-30 minutes. 

Now it's time to blend! I use an immersion blender. You can use whatever blender you have. You can find one like mine in the link below. Just please be careful with the heat! If using an immersion, you don't want to get popped with hot liquid.  If you're using a standard blender, heat expands, so don't put too much in at a time.

After you blend it up, test your seasonings for salt and pepper, and don't be afraid to add more basil too if you'd like! 

Pour in the heavy cream and balsamic vinegar, test again. 

Serve in a bowl with crackers or toast on the side, and a sprinkle of parmesan. 

Enjoy!