Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

While we were in Texas, Cherise also made this fabulous soup for us. It's divine. I don't know if I'll ever be able to have tomato soup from a can ever again now. =)

For the kids she added small spiral noodles called "tigger tails". You can get them at Costco, I guess. The kids really enjoyed eating their soup with "tigger tails" in it!

the goods:

2 ¼ sticks of butter

3 T olive oil

1 ½ large onion, sliced

¾ tsp thyme

¾ tsp basil

1 large 28 oz can Italian tomatoes

4 ½ T tomato paste

1/3 cup flour

5 ½ cups chicken broth

2 tsp sugar

1 ½ cups half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine 2 sticks butter and olive oil in 6 quart pot. Add onion, thyme, basil, salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Add tomatoes and tomato paste.

Blend flour into ½ cup chicken broth and stir into tomato mixture. Add remaining 5 cups chicken broth and simmer 30 minutes.

Transfer soup to food processor and puree.** Heat sugar and half and half in small pot. Simmer 5 minutes. Add 1/4 stick of butter. Add to tomato mixture. Stir thoroughly.

Serves 9-12

**Mixture can be frozen, but freeze without sugar and cream. When ready to serve, defrost and continue recipe as follows.