Tomato Soup

This was the best tomato soup I've ever made at home - it's from the Barefoot Contessa's cookbook - and it wasn't hard to make at all.

Heat 3 T olive oil in a large pot, add 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions and 2 carrots unpeeled and chopped, saute about 10 minutes.  Add 1 T minced garlic and cook another 1 minute.

Add 5 large chopped vine-ripened tomatoes, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 T tomato paste, 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves chopped, 3 c chicken stock, 1 T kosher salt and 2 tsp pepper...stir well.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 30-40 minutes til tomatoes are very tender.

Add 1/4 cup heavy cream.  Then in small batches (very carefully) blend the soup (and pour back into pot) until the big pieces are gone and the soup is thick and creamy.

Serve with julienned basil leaves and croutons (I cut multigrain bread into cubes and stir fried in butter, the sprinkled with Parmesan.)

Delish!