Homemade Tomato Soup - Garden Fresh

I was going to post about some other coin things we have made but it was such a busy day, I didn't have time to take the pictures so it will have to wait. 

 I had a neighbor give me a large bag of tomatoes and I didn't have enough to make salsa or spaghetti sauce so I thought I would make some homemade tomato soup. I have made it before but couldn't remember the recipe so I thought I would alter one that I found to suit our taste buds. 

My girls don't like chunks of tomato in their soup or spaghetti sauces so I knew I would have to blend it. Sometimes it is easier to do that after you have blanched the tomatoes, easily removing their peels so there isn't any texture in the tomato, but, I don't mind texture so I blended the tomatoes first and then used them. 

Ingredients
About 15 medium tomatoes stemmed and blended
2/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion sliced
2 tbs butter
2 tsp chopped garlic (I use store bought)
2 chicken broth squares (not made into broth)
1 tbs dried basil
1/2 cup cream or milk (optional)
1 small slice of a hot red pepper (optional)

In a large stock pot (I used my pressure cooker) saute the onions in the butter. Add garlic, oil and the small piece of hot pepper. (optional) 

After a few minutes when the onions are getting soft, drop in the chicken broth squares and let them dissolve in the oil. Then, add the basil. I poured in the tomatoes at this point and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Before it gets really hot, I poured half into the blender (Vitamix) and let it blend for at least 2 minutes. I poured that into a bowl, pour the second half from the pan into the blender and start it mixing. 
I then pour the mixed half out of the bowl back into the pan. Pour the second half back into the pan once it is fully blended. Salt and Pepper to taste and let it simmer for a few more minutes. 

My family has always eaten tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches so of course, the girls wanted those as well. They finished those, had a second helping of both except for my daughter that doesn't like tomatoes but she actually finished it and said it wasn't too bad. 

Personally, I thought it tasted like a fresh tomato and will be making it again. I think I may make some and freeze it as it would be good in the middle of winter on a cold night. 

Two things. Mine is more orange because we had several large yellow tomatoes that are orange in color when ripe. Second, I used the hot pepper but you couldn't taste it as spicy at all. If you like it spicy, you can add more fresh pepper, or just add some dried pepper when you are sauteing the onions and that will add flavor as it will be blended up in the end as well which makes it flavorful all the way throughout the soup.

Hope you enjoy your bounteous garden this fall!