Hearty Tomato Soup

I don't know about you, but with the cold weather lately (yeah yeah, "cold" is a relative term out here in Cali) ...I just can't get enough of warm, comforting soups. Problem is, with working all day, I really don't have time to let a pot of soup simmer all day on the stove. Problem solved with this tomato soup, its fast and satisfies that need for a warm, comforting bowl of soup.

Consider yourself warned that this is not the thin tomato soup from a can. It has much more texture and thickness, but the flavor is sooo much better!

The secret is mixing canned, roasted tomatoes with fresh roasted tomatoes. I blended mine in the food processor, but if you want a smoother texture, the blender might be a good idea. You can find the original recipe here: http://quick-dish.tablespoon.com/2012/02/07/tomato-heart-soup/?_szp=97441&_szi=23

Ingredients:

5 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, in their skins
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. smoked paprika
1 pinch salt and freshly ground pepper (for roasting tomatoes)
2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (for soup)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 500.
• Toss the tomato wedges and garlic with the oil, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and toss them into a food processor with the 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes and the roasted Romas. Blitz until pureed.
• Pour pureed tomatoes into a saucepan and simmer until heated through, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve and enjoy!