Tomato Basil Soup

One of my husband's favorite soups is Tomato Basil Soup. When we lived in Texas, there was a restaurant that served a very tasty version of this soup. It was rich and creamy, and it was the perfect accompaniment to a caesar salad or chicken salad croissant. My husband asked me to try and recreate this soup so that we could have it anytime we wanted it, but many of the recipes I found were either too time consuming or too labor intensive. As a mother of two very little children, I tried to simplify the recipe as much as possible without sacrificing taste. This is what I came up with, and it has become a staple of our menu.

Tomato Basil Soup

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (I prefer to use Hunt's)
1 (10 ¾ oz) can petite diced tomatoes (Again, I prefer Hunt's)
3 tablespoons dried basil or 12-14 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 (11 ½ oz.) can tomato juice
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Combine tomatoes, basil, chicken broth, and tomato juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add cream and butter; heat thoroughly.

Garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese, and serve with garlic bread and caesar salad

Photo courtesy of howstuffworks.com