Tomato, Basil & Cheddar Soup

   One of my favourite soups is tomato (if I really had to pick from all my favs). As a kid, my Dad always seemed to make it the day after we would have macaroni & cheese, and he would add the leftovers to the soup (and some times cut-up hot dogs too). Mmmmm....tomato soup with mac&cheese and hot dog bits....Might sound weird, but it was good! Don't judge, I know some of you ate more bizarre things as children (hotdogs and yogurt....you know who you are...) :)  
    As an adult (and one who doesn't regularly eat mac & cheese or hotdogs), my soup has a more modern taste of basil and cheddar cheese. Maybe my kids will grow up and think this is weird...ha, whatta they know? 

Tomato, Basil & Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

1. 1 teaspoon olive oil
2. 1 onion, chopped
   
3. 3 cloves garlic, chopped
4. 2- 28 ounce cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
5. 2 cups broth (any kind)
   
6. 1 cup plain greek yogurt or full fat sour cream.
7. 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (a nice sharp one is good, but not necessary)
8. 1/2 cup half and half cream
9. 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped, loosely packed
10. 1 teaspoon sugar, or equivalent sweetener (I used 1 drop of stevia)
11. Salt and pepper to taste

Method: 

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Put the chopped onion in the pot, and let it cook until tender, about three to four minutes.
3. Add the chopped garlic, and cook about two more minutes.
4. Pour in the cans of tomatoes, and the broth. 
5. Stir in the chopped basil, sugar or sweetener, and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Place the lid back onto the pot and let it come to a simmer. Let it simmer ten minutes.
7. *(Do this step if you don't own an immersion blender. See step #9 if you do have one). Now carefully empty the soup out into a large bowl, or another pot. Let it cool a little.
8. While it's cooling, in the pot the soup had been in, stir in the yogurt or sour cream, & cream. Blend them together well.  
9. Now, if you have an immersion blender, remove the soup from the heat, and allow to cool a little. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the yogurt or sour cream, and the cream until blended. Add this to the slightly cooled soup, and stir to blend.
10. If you have a regular blender (as I do), carefully scoop or pour some of the cooled soup into the blender. Be careful not too fill it up to the top, and make sure the lid is on tight! I prefer to do a few small batches than to risk having hot soup explode out of my blender!!! As each blender-full is done pureeing, empty the soup into the pot with the cream base. 
11. Warm back up slowly, stir in the cheese to let it melt and blend, and serve! 

   Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches and veggie sticks, or have soup & salad, or just drink the soup right out of a big mug after a cold day out! 

   So, did you eat anything strange as a child that you didn't think was that strange until you became an adult and realized you were the only one to really ate it? Or you mentioned the strange food in passing to a friend who either A: couldn't stop laughing at how weird it was, or B: Had eyes bugging out and mouth a-gape? It's o.k., you can share, I won't make fun of you (...too much). :)