Creamy Tomato Soup

I made a soup tonight that was good enough for my three year old to eat a bowl!

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 onion finely chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1/2 C. dry white wine

30 oz crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)

4 C. chicken stock

3 sprigs fresh oregano

1/2 C. milk or half and half

In a soup pan melt butter and saute onion and garlic about 6 minutes.  Add wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated about 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes, stock and oregano and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes.  Remove oregano and process in blender as much or as little as you want.  I blended all but about a cup of the soup so there were still some small chunks of tomato.  Add milk or half and half.  You can add more that 1/2 C. if you want it to be creamier.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with cheese topped croutons.  (recipe below)

Baked Cheese Croutons

1 loaf of focaccia bread cut into 1/2 inch wide slices

3/4 C. grated Gruyere cheese

3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place sliced bread on a cookie sheet and bake about 10-15 min until slightly golden and dry.  Sprinkle bread with cheese mixture and bake 8 more minutes.  The bread should be very crunchy.  Serve immediately.

This recipe is an alteration of a recipe found in Martha Stewart Living.