"The Very Best Tomato Soup"

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped vidalia onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Blend (I use Spice Islands)
• 1 teaspoon chopped frech thyme
• 1 28 ounce can Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Organic)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Step 1

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions to the pot and cook until softened, approximately 4 minutes. Add the celery to the onions and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning and thyme cooking for 1 minute. Slowly add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat off. Using a handheld blender (immersion blender), puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the Tabasco sauce and cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.