Creamy Tomato Soup

My family came to my home last month to celebrate my birthday. It was going to be a cooler day and I thought I'd make some creamy tomato soup. It tends to feed a lot and is a simple recipe to put together. You can also make this ahead of time because it reheats well.

I do need to apologize to them because I forgot an entire ingredient. When I made it for the family I was thinking, "this doesn't make as much as I remember" and then I thought "this doesn't taste as good as I remember." Then I realized why. I forgot the last step.

What do you do when something like this happens? I make it again so I can feel like I accomplished what I set out to do. It helps ease my mind that I can do it right and it helps me remember the recipe in a positive light. *I made a half batch and it was perfect for the two of us.

Creamy Tomato Soup adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Serves 8-10
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil + more
  
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
  
• 1 onion, finely chopped - I've made the soup with and without and I like it both ways
• 2 large cans of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 slices of white bread, broken
  
• 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
• 3 Cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion and garlic, cook until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Use a potato masher to break up the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. (The Test Kitchen added some red pepper flakes as well but I haven't yet.)
   
3. Add the white bread pieces and brown sugar, cook until the bread is broken down. Remove the bay leaf.
   
4. In 2-3 batches move soup to blender, add 1 TB of oil to each batch, and process until smooth.
5. Return the soup to the heat and add the chicken broth. Once it is warmed through it is ready to serve. Salt and pepper to taste. You can top it with cheese, chives, croutons, etc.

I hope you enjoy the recipe in its entirety.