Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese...51 Porter Style

There may be a common theme among some of the more recent posts: soup. As the temperatures lower here in New England we are faced with all sorts of reasons to try new soup recipes. So grab your favorite stew pot and food processor and give these scrumptious, warm meals a go!


Ingredients:
1. 1, 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
2. 1, 6oz. can tomato paste
3. 1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut in ribbons
4. 1 medium onion chopped
5. 1 cup roughly chopped carrots
6. 3 cloves garlic, crushed
7. 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
8. 1/2 cup white wine
9. 1 Tablespoon olive oil
10. 3/4 cup crumbled feta
11. Salt and pepper to taste
12. Mini grilled cheeses (recipe follows)


Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic together for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat.


2. Add carrots and continue to saute another 3 minutes.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, and vegetable stock.

4. Add about half the basil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

5. In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. On the last batch to blend, add the 3/4 cup feta and puree. Add to the rest of the pureed soup and stir together.


6. Stir in the rest of the basil and you're ready to serve!







Serving Suggestions:
*Serve with a sprinkling of feta and fresh basil on top.
*Serve with mini grilled cheese (we just took leftover baguette slices, added sharp cheddar cheese, and grilled them in the George Foreman grill). mmm...mmm...gooooood!

Difficulty?
Kelly Kut Rating: Minor bruises...but overall a very easy soup and a classic comfort...move over Campbells! :)


Taste?
Renee's Mmmmm-gasm Scale: This soup exemplifies a key issue that the girls of 51 Porters are now facing. In the past when I pondered tomato soup, I thought of Campbell's condensed soup, which was rather thin, a little too sweet for my taste, and undoubtedly extremely unhealthy. Once you try a home-made pot of tomato soup, you just can't bring yourself to actually buy canned soup again. This soup was absolutely amazing. The tomato flavor was just fantastic, as was the hint of basil and feta! I went back for seconds, and the mini grilled cheese dunkers were a great addition, giving a little texture contrast to our meal. I without hesitation give this meal 10,000 Mmmmm-gasms.

Appearance?
Stephanie's Hotty Hot Hotness Rating: Woooo-wee was this soup good lookin'! I appreciated the garnish of fresh basil, the the mini grilled cheese dunkers are a must do!