Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

sauté, in medium saucepan:
½ cup butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced in garlic press
…cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes


Add:
¾ cup apple juice (or dry white wine)
4-5 lbs. vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp chicken stock
To taste, salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp maple syrup, to remove bitterness
…cook 5 minutes, or just until tomatoes have fallen apart, then cool slightly

Stir in:
1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed (up to 2 cups)
…mix in batches in blender or with a handmixure. Please note my fantastic bamix (Note: blend immediately or the basil will turn black)

Stir in:
1 ½ cups half & half cream (Optional – it still tastes great without it)

I never knew cooking could be this exciting!!!! The next one will have to be a decadent dessert…hmmmmm.
Bring it on!!! I made lemons out of lemon aid today. I burned one rack of my cinnamon buns because the rack was uneven. Soooooo, I made bread pudding. I will show the pics on my website. The bread pudding was much better than the burnt buns!!!
A recipe in my hands becomes art in yours. That’s what I love about your site. I look forward to seeing your new pics.
I LOVE this story about the bread pudding!! It’s brilliant and sounds DELICIOUS!