Fresh tomato soup

Makes approximately 8 cups of soup


5 c. tomatoes, diced (or 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes, UNDRAINED)
1 c. chopped onion (about one large onion)
1 c. tomato paste
3 c. chicken stock (I used turkey stock actually)
2 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar


In a large saucepan combine all ingredients.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  
Cool the soup.  Fill a blender half-full, then cover and blend the soup until smooth.  Continue to do this for all the soup.  Return it all to the pot and reheat it before serving.

This recipe is modified from one found in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  They call for a few dashes of hot sauce in the soup, but I found that I liked the sweetness of the tomatoes just as they are without any spice.  Feel free to add spiciness if you like that, though.


Soup.  SOUP!  I love soup.  I'm pretty sure I say that every time I post a soup recipe but it's so true.  I'm not much of a winter person, and I typically struggle with winter time because of the sustained cold and gray skies, but soup is one of those things that helps me get through.  I actually find myself wishing for cold weather in October, so I can start making soups of all kinds.


Another thing that helps me make it until April: outdoor activity.  This weekend has had its share, and my legs are aching and my knees bruised because of it.  On Saturday we played "broom ball" - ice hockey without skates or hockey sticks - on a frozen pond at a local park.   Our motley assortment of "brooms" included mops, plungers, and brooms of all shapes.  We shuffled a ball around, which made for a lot of fun cartoon-like chasing when one of the dogs got a hold of it.  Check out Cindi's pictures of the event.


On Sunday we hiked with a friend on part of the Appalachian Trail that runs about 20 miles from here.  Round trip: 7.2 miles.  My legs: aching.


Great winter weekend: soup and outdoor activity!