Almost Corner Bakery Tomato Soup

I love the Corner Bakery's tomato basil soup. I don't like the price though. Not with how much tomato soup we go through. So I search the web and found a recipe that looked good, and gave it a try. I will be making some adjustments but this is really good. Really. Good. Even with 'winter' tomatoes from the store. Imagine how delish this will be with fresh, ripe maters!?

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 pounds fresh roma tomatoes

1 Tbls salt (I adjust as I go, don't need this much)

1.5 teaspoon cracked pepper (regular pepper is fine)

1-2 yellow onions, chopped

6-12 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

0.25-0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I use Aleppo from Turkey)

2 cups fresh basil leaves (I subbed 2 generous tablespoons dried Marjoram)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Oven 425*F. Cut roma tomatoes in half, toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast them in a single layer on a cookie sheet or casserole pan in the oven for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large pot over medium high heat, saute the onions, garlic, and pepper flakes until the onions are translucent and slightly browned. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the roma tomatoes and the extra oil/juice from the roasting pan. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Dip out the chunks of tomatoes and puree them in a blender (be careful - hot liquids expand in the blender), return to the pot to thicken the soup. 

I can see using this as a base for many soups - add noodles, hamburger, potatoes, other veggies, etc. I also plan to add 'surprise' veggies like canned pumpkin puree, bell peppers, etc. that I can puree and Dad won't notice. You could also add half-and-half, Greek yogurt (protein!), or skim milk to make it creamy. Great with a grilled cheese sammie or your favorite crackers!

Let me be clear: This is not my original work. GeauxGirlie gets all the credit! Enjoy!