the creamiest tomato basil soup !

I love this weather ! when its not so hot , and not so cold. its perfectly in-between. whenever i just wanna cozy up on the couch and relax i always always always go for this soup. its so easy to pull together and it literally soothes the soul. and the good thing is its also a crowd pleaser! no matter lunch or dinner , spring or fall this soup fits them all ! 

what you'll need:

• 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice

• 1 cup finely diced celery

• 1 cup finely diced carrots

• 1 cup finely diced onions

• 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano

• 1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil

• 4 cups chicken broth

• ½ bay leaf

• ½ cup flour

• 1 cup Parmesan cheese

• ½ cup butter

• 2 cups half and half, warmed (or skim milk if you’re trying to cut some calories)

• 1 tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• 1 cup of heavy cream

in a dutch oven. saute all vegetables until tender. (and season with salt, pepper & garlic powder) or whatever you like. once vegetables are tender add butter and flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to get out the raw flavor of the flour. (this creates a thicker soup) then add tomatoes with juice,chicken broth, bay leaf & seasonings. simmer soup for about 10-15 minutes. taste soup to make sure the vegetables are soft and tender. once tender add half and half cheese and heavy cream. let that simmer for another 5 minutes or so remove the bay leaf and then serve with more parmesan, fresh parsley and fresh cracked pepper on top.