The Soup That Mike Forgot

I don't know how this happens.  I'm not even sure it's ever happened to me, but have you ever had a meal, loved it, and then forgotten about it?  Mike totally did that with this week's recipe, so I had to remind him how much he enjoyed it.

I found the recipe on Pinterest (of course), and the original link is here.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Makes about 2 quarts (about 8 servings)

Crock Pot Version
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

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don’t be afraid to always season to taste at the end).

Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Stove-Top Version
3 cups diced tomatoes with juice (you can use canned)
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 Tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup finely diced onions
4 Tbsp fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried
1/2 bay leaf
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed (if you want you can use whole milk, evaporated milk instead…or even skim if you want to skinny it up)
1 tsp salt

Heat oil in 4 quart soup pot. Add celery, onions and carrots. Saute 5 minutes. Add basil, oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender (15 minutes).

While soup simmers, prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add back into soup pot.

Simmer, stirring constantly, until soup begins to thicken. Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend. Stir warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Personally, I did the crock pot version because there is no better feeling than knowing dinner is taking care of itself and then smelling that delicious goodness when you walk in after a long day of work.  Crock pot meals are my jam!

Assemble the team!  I actually started the night before so I wouldn't have to get up early to chop vegetables.

When everything was done, I just tipped it all into a bowl and covered with plastic to sit in the fridge overnight.  I tend to chop my veggies a bit larger than a dice, as I like a chunkier, more rustic soup, but either way works well.

Next day, nearly everything goes into the pot to cook while I work.  I actually came home at lunch to do this, but you could start it up in the morning.

And here's the soup after adding the roux.  We're almost there!

Tadaa!  To top it off, we toasted some extra hot dog buns we had on hand and rubbed them with garlic and butter to dip.  Awwwwww yeeeeeeah...

And that's all there is to it.  So easy and amazing.  This soup is rustic and comforting and makes you feel good about even the worst day.  Best of all, as soon as Mike took his first bite, he remembered it and why he loved it so much.  I like to think he won't forget again. :-)