Tomato basil soup

I know what you're probably thinking right now, soup isn't baking-it's cooking, and Lydia does all the cooking. Well, you are correct, BUT this soup was just too yummy to keep to myself, and I baked another French loaf with it (whole wheat this time), so does that count? Anyways, I hope you'll forgive my slight blog faux pas of stepping into my co-bloggers territory and get out your slow cooker to indulge in this recipe. 

It was a cold, rainy day in the Jones household, and I woke up with a hankerin' for some homemade tomato soup. Funny thing is, I had about...seven recipes ready to try for a tomato basil soup or a tomato bisque, etc., and I didn't have all the ingredients to make any of them. Bummer, I know. So, instead of making boxed macaroni in defeat, I decided to combine little parts of all the recipes into one giant tomato soup and of course, pair it with the delicious french loaf recipe I discovered the other day (reference May 19 for the recipe). 





Anyways, without further ado, I give you my own homemade tomato basil soup recipe. 


Tomato Basil Soup
*1 can (14 oz.) whole stewed tomatoes
*4 whole Roma tomatoes
*5 fresh basil leaves
*3 garlic cloves
*1 cup skim milk
*1 yellow onion, diced
*salt and papper to taste


1. Combine stewed tomatoes, basil, garlic, milk, onion and other seasonings to taste in a slow cooker. 
2. Drop whole Roma tomatoes into boiling water for 15-20 seconds. Remove from boiling water and immediately place in cold water. Peel off skin, cut in half and remove seeds. Add to soup.
3. Let soup cook for 4 hours but don't let it boil.
4. Puree soup in a blender or food processor and return to slow cooker to keep warm. Serve with cheese, sour cream or a bail leaf on top. It tastes like you're biting into a tomato. It's genius.