Tomato Soup

The weather around here has been really unpredictable- rainy and 50° one day, sunny and 80° the next. I've been harvesting from the garden on the warm sunny days, then using those items to make soup on the cold rainy days. Here's some tomato soup I made, based loosely on a recipe from Bon Appetit.

Tomato Soup

                                        2 T. olive oil                                                 3 slices bread, cubed

                                        1/2 c. chopped onion                                4 c. vegetable broth
                                        1 clove garlic, minced                               fresh basil, slivered
                                        1 lb. chopped tomatoes                           grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, bread and broth. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer approximately 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup to desired consistency. Divide basil between bowls, then ladle soup over the basil. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 3.


There weren't any leftovers, so for my next tomato soup recipe I used this:

To make this!

Tomato Soup Cake is so good! I have no idea where I originally got the recipe, as I've been making it for decades. I like to bring it to potlucks- no one ever guesses the 'secret' ingredient.  

Tomato Soup Cake

                                    2 c. flour                                                 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
                                    1 1/3 c. sugar                                         1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed tomato soup
                                    4 tsp. baking powder                           1/2 c. shortening
                                    2 tsp. ground allspice                           2 eggs
                                    1 tsp. baking soda                                 1/4 c. water                               
                                    1 tsp. cinnamon

Grease and lightly flour two 8" round cake pans and set aside. Mix dry ingredients. Add soup, shortening, eggs and water. Beat at high speed for 4 minutes. Pour into pans and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

                                    4 oz. cream cheese                             2 c. powdered sugar
                                    4 oz. butter                                           1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time. When sugar is incorporated, beat in vanilla.