You say tomato, I say just give me seconds

I thoroughly intended to have some visual confirmation of how good this stuff is by taking pictures of the finished product, but in between the lovely chaos that is currently my home, I failed to turn on the camera.

So you'll just have to take my word that you will want to make this stuff. It's slap-yo-mamma, stay in for dinner tonight good. A huge thanks to Audra T. for forever changing my life and how much Ben and I crave homemade tomato soup.
I doctored the recipe a little because it originally called for flour to thicken it, but I didn't need it, and it called for chicken base, but I had bouillon cubes on hand so I figured it was close enough, and I only added 2 cups of milk, but it calls for 3, so whatever fits your tastebuds.


TOMATO SOUP

3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup cooking wine
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp sugar
3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
sprinkle of nutmeg
6 cups v8 juice
28 oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream, optional (I opted)
1- 10 oz bag fresh spinach, optional

In large pot heat oil and sautee onion and garlic until light in color. Add wine, bay leaf, basil, italian season, salt, pepper. Heat and reduce for 10 min. Add sugar, nutmeg, chicken base, and stir well. Slowly add V8, stirring over medium heat until you have a smooth sauce. Add tomatoes and milk. Simmer for -15-20 minutes. Add cream and spinach, simmer another 10 minutes.

I served it with french bread that I halved, and rubbed with garlic, slathered with butter and fresh-grated Parmesan reggiano, and toasted under the broiler.

Happy cooking!!
=)
xoxo
dae