Creamy Tomato Soup

5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces) butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) chopped onions (2 small-to-medium onions)
1 (one) 28-ounce can tomato purée or tomatoes in purée
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
a couple of shakes of black pepper
3 tablespoons Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 can (a scant 2 cups, 14 to 15 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, to taste
1 (one) 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, heat the butter and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, thyme, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and broth, whisking till smooth, and add this mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you've used diced tomatoes, purée the soup in a blender or food processor, or use a hand blender. If you've used tomato purée, there's no need to blend; the onion bits will give the soup a bit of body. Return the soup to the stove, and set it on a burner over low-to-medium heat. Stir in the baking soda (the soup will foam up briefly; don't worry, but be sure it's in a big enough pot), the sugar, the milk and the salt. Heat, stirring, to a bare simmer. Serve hot. Yield: about 8 cups, about 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (1 cup, 239g): 205 cal, 13.0g fat, 5g protein, 12g complex carbohydrates, 4g sugar, 2g dietary fiber, 34mg cholesterol, 607mg sodium, 444mg potassium, 157RE vitamin A, 18mg vitamin C, 1mg iron, 166mg calcium, 142mg phosphorus.

To make vegan substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Trust me on this one - you will never eat the canned stuff again.

This recipe is also from King Arthur Flour. I served it with grilled cheese sandwiches for supper!

Oh my this sounds goooooooooooooooooooooooood

All credit to Chef Tess
http://cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.ca/se ... as%20stews




Barley and Oven Roasted Tomato Soup
(adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Cooking)

2 lb plum tomatoes, cut in half about 10 tomatoes
* (or 2- 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes)
2T fresh basil, chopped
6 cups vegetable stock, or fat free chicken stock
1 1/2 cup tomato juice
2/3 cup barley, uncooked
2 cloves fresh pressed garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 bay leaf.
lots of fresh cracked black pepper

* If you use canned tomatoes, skip the "broiling step", to get the roasted flavor, look for "fire roasted" canned tomatoes , or add 1 tsp liquid smoke.

1.Turn on the broiler in your oven. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer over baking sheet with deep sides, with the skin side up. Bake until skin begins to shrivel. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Remove skins from the tomatoes. Dice tomatoes and chop the basil.
2. In a deep 4 quart heavy stock pot, combine all the ingredients, except the fresh basil. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes for regular barley, or 10 minutes for the quick barley. Remove from the heat and add the basil just before serving. Yield 10 cups.
Easy stuff right?!

Steph's Notes:
You can just throw all ingredients in the crock pot on low, or solar oven, either one for 2 hrs high, or 4-6 low (if you are cooking solar, it can be done in as little as 45 minutes or just left simmering all day, it won't ever burn in a solar oven!). Makes a great simple Sunday lunch.
Fresh herbs are added at the end of cooking because the best flavor will be achieved this way. If you add fresh herbs at the beginning, the flavor is cooked out. Dry herbs are cooked at the beginning to reconstitute them, and draw out their flavor. I love this recipe made with a chopped Fennel root as well, about 3/4 cup.

Nutrients per serving info:( 2 cup per serving), 160 calories, O fat, 0 sat fat, 0 chol, 27 carbs, 14 g protein, sodium, 540mg, Fiber 9g.
Weight Watchers: 2 points