Southern Comfort Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

This creamy tomato basil soup is just the thing to warm your bones on a chilly and rainy Texas day.

If you are anything like me the current weather has me ready for a warm, cozy bowl of soup! It is my belief that when the temperature drops and it's dark and rainy outside our bodies naturally start to crave warm comfort food. So, it only makes sense that soup is often one of the favorites people go to when it gets colder outside. One of my all-time favorite soups has to be tomato basil. It is rich, creamy and comforts my soul. With the current dreary weather outside I decided today would be a great time to share with y'all my recipe for Southern Comfort Creamy Tomato Soup.

Ingredients:

• 10-12 Roma Tomatoes, seeds removed

• Olive oil for sprinkling

• 6 tbsp Butter (3/4 stick)

• 1 large yellow Onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 28oz. can of petite diced tomatoes

• ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes, diced

• 4 cups of low sodium chicken broth

• 1 ½ cups of fresh basil

• ¼ cup of cream cheese (softened)

• ¼ cup of grated Parmesan

• 1 ¼ cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Sprinkle tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt.

3. Roast tomatoes for 40 minutes.

4. In a 6-quart stockpot over medium high heat, add butter, onions and crushed red pepper.

5. Sauté onions until translucent.

6. Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds and add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and sun-dried tomatoes.

7. Bring to a boil, then add roasted tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes.

8. Add basil and cream cheese to pot and stir until the cream cheese is completely melted. Add heavy cream slowly while stirring. Add Parmesan stir until melted.

9. Blend soup until smooth. (*I blended the onions, garlic and diced tomatoes, then blended the roma tomatoes and 3/4 of the basil before adding them to the soup. If you have an immersion blender you could also just blend everything at the end.)

10. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy and try to stay warm my friends.

XOXO,

South Texas Blonde