Tomato making tomato soup

Tomato is now the all season vegetable like everything else in this global world.  I can remember when there was a season for every food on the table. I guess I am that old xD

Oscar checking out the melted cheese toast with Italian herbs
yeah, leave my tomato soup alone, you big furball :p

I love to make this soup for lunch is because it is fast, tasty and cheap. If you have a well stocked kitchen, you will be able to make it within half an hour. Skip the bacon if you want meatless, and use olive oil instead. Replace milk with chicken or vegetable booth and add in an extra tablespoon of flour.  Take out the flour and only add in 1 cup of milk if you wish to cut down the carb intake. Sugar is a must in any tomato cooking, but you can try cutting down the amount to taste.

Chunky Tomato Soup

Ingredients

2 thick slices of bacon, cut in strips
1 medium size onion, diced
1/4 tsp of thyme
1 tbsp. flour
2 cup of milk
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 fl oz)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. brown sugar
salt and black pepper to taste

Cooking

1. In a thick bottom medium size pot, put in the bacon and turn the heat up to medium. Sauté the bacon and let it releases some of the fat. 10 min
2. Add in onion and continue sauté until the onion turn yellow. 10 min
3. Add in thyme and stir. 1 min
4. Add in flour and coat everything in the pot. 1 min
5. Turn heat down to medium low; slowly add in milk, keep stirring, 5 min
6. Add in baking soda, crushed tomato and bay leaf, sitr to mix. 3 min
7. Bring the liquid to boil, turn the heat down to low and let if simmer for 20 mins, stir frequently. 20 min
8. Add brown sugar, salt, more thyme and black pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and serve.

And now, for my friend Cornwall, he can go make his old style grilled cheese to accompany the soup :p   LOL  thank you Tomato  :)