Tomato-basil soup

It's raining today, and the house is quiet and lonely [how can a house be quiet and lonely when it still contains two children? It just can.], and perhaps you are feeling like some nice comforting soup?  I have just the thing.

You know, I never liked tomato soup as a child.  But then, this soup is quite different from the Campbell's kind.  It's my own lovingly-developed recipe.  Its texture is mostly smooth, with little salty bits of cheese and bright bites of herb flavor here and there for interest.  Feta cheese adds the perfect amount of creaminess without sacrificing that tangy tomato-y taste.  And fresh basil, while optional, is the ideal complement.  I could eat this soup every day.  It's healthy and it takes 15 minutes to put together, and it makes great leftovers (it may be even better the next day).  In fact, this soup is also the first meal that induced Daisy to sign "more" (see for yourself):,

and it remains one of her favorites.

Ideally, you'll have some nice fresh artisan bread or wheat bread with which you can make grilled cheese sandwiches to go with your soup.  They elevate it to a whole new level. 

But if not, it's still one of my favorite soups ever.  And I like a lot of soup.

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup

4-5 cans diced tomatoes

2-3 T. olive oil

Combine in a large soup pot and bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer for 5 minutes or so.  Blend with immersion blender (or in regular blender).  You can let it simmer for longer if you want the flavors to deepen more, but it's good immediately, too.  Then stir in:

salt to taste

1 T. fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)

1-2 T. fresh basil (or 1-2 t. dried), plus more for garnish

2 c. milk or cream

2 c. or so grated cheese---my favorite is feta, or a combination of gouda and cheddar

Stir and heat until cheese is mostly melted.  Garnish with more fresh basil.  Serve warm with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone is bothered by my enthusiasm for my own recipes.  I don't mean to be conceited.  It's just that who would want to try it if I said, "This food is not that good.  You probably won't like it very much."?  And, frankly, that just wouldn't be true and I couldn't, in good conscience, say it anyway.  So forgive me singing my own food's praises.  It's not me that's good, it's the food, and I just want to share it!