Creamy Tomato Soup

Birthday weekend is here!!!  :)  I possibly made "the best meal ever" for lunch today.  This soup and Smoked Turkey and Artichoke Panini!!  Ross said it was better than a restaurant - and well it tasted AMAZING!!  Really cooking it up now that I'm 30!!!  hehe  But for real - I don't even like tomato soup, but this I could have ate the entire batch!  It was so good!!

OBB Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon reserved oil from sun-dried tomatoes, or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
¾ cup shredded carrot
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2/3 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
14 oz can chicken broth
3 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish

Place oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion,  carrot, and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often.

Add sun-dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. (If you’re adding red pepper flakes, add them now)
Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.  Cover pan and simmer for 30  minutes.

Remove from heat. Place soup in a blender (do this in 2 batches if necessary). Add cream cheese. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, but place a paper towel over opening in blender lid to avoid spills. Process for a few minutes until smooth.  You could also add cream cheese directly to the pot and use an immersion blender to combine. (YAY - I LOVE my immersion blender!)

Add additional salt and pepper to taste and then divide soup among bowls.  Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese and a fresh basil leaf if desired.