Wow! What a Soup! Tomato Souped! Up

Working on my new cookbook has presented some problems. One of them is I am eating too much and gaining weight. So, I switched my focus to soups because simple soups, in general, have less calories.

In addition, because I have purchased ingredients I do not normally stock, I have to get creative with the leftovers.

I had purchased a carton of tomato juice to make a Virgin Mary. But, I don’t drink tomato juice on a regular basis, so to use the remainder of the juice, I researched tomato soup recipes.

In my search, I came across the Hot Bloody Mary Soup recipe at BBC.com (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2604647/hot-bloody-mary-soup) and that sparked my interest.

But, in the end after reviewing many tomato soup recipes, I created a recipe by pulling ideas from at least nine recipes and making my own variations.

I am proud of my tomato soup recipe!

Tomato Souped! Up

(adapted from Creamy Tomato Soup, Cooks.oom)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion. diced

1 garlic clove, diced

3 cups tomato juice

1 cup water

1/2 vegetable or chicken bouillon cube

2 tablespoons basil, dry, crushed

1 capful lime juice concentrate or lime juice

2 small capfuls vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons to 1 cup milk or cream cheese, cubes, per serving

Chunks of hard bread.

Process:

Add oil to skillet.

Add onions and garlic.

Cook medium-high until a majority of onions and garlic are browned.

Add tomato juice.

Add water.

Add bouillon.

Stir.

Add basil, lime juice, vinegar.

Stir.

Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes.

Season to taste.

Stir.

Serve in a bowl.

Add milk or cream cheese cubes.

Stir.

Serve with chunks of hard bread.

Reheat in Microwave if desired.

Notes:

The browned onions and garlic added to flavor. I liked the cream cheese cubes partially melted, because they provided a cool, creamy contrast.

Variation: add paprika.