Sunday, February 3, 2013

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

Last Sunday it was super cold and snowy so I took advantage of the cold weather and pulled out the slow cooker. I wrote down this recipe a while back in my recipe notebook and finally decided to try it. Not sure where the original recipe is from, but it is SO good. I already have it written down on my meal planning list for next week. I love making dinner in the slow cooker because once dinner time rolls around, the kitchen is already clean and dinner is ready to eat. It's perfect. We ate our soup with some garlic bread. Enjoy!


Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

 Ingredients
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed (I am going to try using skim milk next time)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese (I used shredded and then grated some fresh parmesan over the soup before serving)

Directions
1.  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3.  About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end).
4.  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.


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