Dishing It Up Recipe Hop: Fall Favorites--Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Ah!  Fall has finally begun!  It is absolutely my favorite season, and it is always so welcome--especially after having just lived through a record breaking summer!  

The cooling temperatures always lift my spirits and usually put me in the cooking mood!  Many people have certain dishes that they consider "fall" dishes.  These are things that they've missed all summer, considering it too hot for them usually.  They are more than happy to dust off those recipes and enjoy their favorites again!

This week, my friends and I have put together a list of "fall favorites" recipes for you.  Mine this week actually is not a "favorite" of mine, because I have not yet made it.  I do LOVE tomato soup, but have only had it canned before, and its one of those things that I never thing to add to my list, and then when I decide I want it, there is not in the pantry.  So I am going to be making this recipe this week, and freezing single serving portions in muffins cups, so I just have to grab one and thaw it whenever I want!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Recipe From Don't Panic--More Dinner's in the Freezer: A Second Helping of Tasty Meals You Can Make Ahead

Photo Credit Skip To My Lou

Ingredients:

2 medium onions, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

4 leaves fresh basil

1 bay leaf

2 28oz cans whole tomatoes, undrained

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

When serving:

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

Makes 8 servings.

Directions:

Combine onions, celery, basil, bay leaf, and tomatoes in stockpot.  Simmer until vegetables are tender.  Remove bay leaf.  Puree mixture in a blender, then strain through a colander or sieve.  Return to stockpot.

In a small mixing bowl, blend flour and butter into a paste.  Add a small amount of the tomato mixture, and stir until smooth.  Slowly add to stockpot, stirring constantly.

Add sugar and seasoning.  If serving right away, add milk and baking soda.

If freezing, cool and place into bags/containers of your choice, and add the milk/soda on serving day.

I have a basil plant, so that will cost me nothing.  I have stewed and diced tomatoes in my pantry, and since it will be pureed anyways, I don't see that it will make much difference.  I also bought 4 celery at Fiesta last night for $0.69 each (I'll be chopping it to stock the freezer).

I'm sure I will also at a bit more seasoning than the recipe calls for.  I tend to do that sort of thing. ;)  The cookbook has amounts to make this recipe x3, x6, or x9, but for this go round, I'm going to stick to the basic amount.  It will still give me 8 servings, which will last forever, since I usually only eat it to dip a grilled cheese, so I don't need much.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

In the mean time, hope over to my blogging friends, who have some more awesome fall recipes to share with you.  Don't worry about not being able to find the next one, because the linky will be on all of the sites that have ** in the recipe title.

If you have a recipe to add, feel free to link it up, too!