Summer Tomato Soup

I know we've had quite a few recipes on here lately featuring the almighty tomato, but you know what? There's just not a large span of time where tomatoes are good, so you have to do as much with them as you can when they're in season! And to be honest, we like to strike while the iron's hot, so to speak. This particular recipe is a wonderful way to use up all of those "not so pretty" tomatoes that pop up in your garden. You know, the ones you don't slice up when company pops in for lunch? Well, you just cut them all up for the soup, so it doesn't matter what they look like! Perfect!

We LOVE this summer soup, and whether it's served hot or cold, it's always very fresh tasting and delicious! I also freeze it in loaf pans, then put two "loaves" in each gallon-sized ziploc. That way, when you're craving a little taste of summer, you can just throw a "loaf" into a saucepan, heat it up, and voila...summer in a bowl!

Summer Tomato Soup

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp. creme fraiche, sour cream, or plain yogurt
salt & freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until just soft, stirring occasionally. Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped garlic and herbs. Lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Now, the original recipe calls for straining the soup, but I like mine chunky...so I skip that part. But feel free to do whatever floats your boat, including adjusting all of the ingredients to your liking! I always add extra garlic, and sometimes extra tomatoes too. Just taste as you go along! Stir in the cream or yogurt and season with salt and pepper. I highly suggest using freshly ground pepper in this recipe...it makes all the difference!

Also of note:The recipe calls for serving this soup chilled, but my family likes it warm with a scoop of sour cream and a few chives on top. Try it both ways...it's very versatile!