{recipe} my mom & dad's roasted tomato-basil soup

You can pretty much always guarantee that my sorority house will be serving grilled cheese and tomato soup once a week for lunch... canned tomato soup that is. I'm not so sure that I will be able to stomach Campbell's tomato soup anymore after having my parents' roasted tomato-basil soup this weekend. Roasted tomatoes, garlic, and onions blended with red pepper flakes and fresh basil and thyme.

How can you go wrong?!

You probably think I'm crazy that I am making you crank up your oven in August, to make soup nonetheless! Unlike your traditional tomato soup, you can eat this soup cold.  In fact, my parents and I prefer it that way!

I don't have a picture of this soup so here is a picture of veggies at a farmer's market instead. :)

Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup

Serves 3 to 4. Recipe doubles very easily!
Original recipe is by Ina Garten - this is a heavily adapted version.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes - cut in half lengthwise (quartered if vine ripe tomatoes)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, split
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 regular sized onion - quartered
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - or to taste
• 14 ounces canned plum tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock (or water)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss together tomatoes, onions, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt & pepper. Add more oil if vegetables seem like they need more coating.
3. Spread the tomatoes, onions, and garlic in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
4. In an 8-quart stockpot on medium heat, head red pepper flakes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter until fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.
5. Next, you can either use a food mill, an immersion (hand blender), or a regular blender. I use an immersion blender to blend the soup to the right consistency. You can leave chunks of onions and tomatoes if you'd like but we like it all blended up!
6. Taste the seasonings. Serve hot or cold with a drizzle of half and half and freshly grated Parmesan cheese with toasted crusty bread on the side.

Y-U-M.

Tomato soup is one of my go-to comfort foods. Do you have a favorite comfort food??

PS. Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It closes on August 6th!