Creamy Tomato Soup

Fall is my favorite time of year. I don't necessarily associate food with fall, but I do enjoy one thing: soup. I could eat soup every day for every meal and be 100% okay with it, and fall is the perfect time for "soup season" to start.

This soup plays a special part in my cooking history. It was the first dish I had ever made from a recipe book. I was home with my dad one day when I was maybe 8, and I decided I was going to make lunch for us. My dad had told me previously that his favorite meal in school was grilled cheese and tomato soup, so that is what I wanted to make.

I found a recipe in a local church recipe book for tomato soup because, you know, warming up a can wasn't good enough. I had to improvise just a tad because my mother didn't have everything the recipe called for in the cupboard. After making a total mess in the kitchen, it came out okay. I had to call my Nana though to ask how to make grilled cheese...bless my dad's heart for consuming whatever was created that day. But hey, I make it all of the time now!

This soup is a bit more involved than just a can of soup, but it still very easy to make. I can throw it together in about 30 minutes. Also, for those of you who do not like tomato soup, I'd still give this a try. Trust me!

My favorite part of making this soup is sautéing the onions. It might be my favorite smell in the entire world, which is kind of sad. Just be careful to cook them slow so they caramelize, not burn. 

Mmmmmmm. 

Then add the cream cheese. I've found it is best to remove the pan from the burner and add the cheese in small chunks. It likes to stick to the pot, so again, slow is better with this too.

Pour in the soup and milk. The milk required is a 1:2 ratio since the cream cheese adds enough creaminess to the soup. You want to be able to taste a little tomato I suppose.

Looks gross, I know.

Whisk the mixture as much as you want. The more you whisk, the less cream cheese chunks you'll have. Personally, I like having a few chunks...it's like a surprise in your soup! But others like it smooth. It's up to you. 

See? that looks better :)

Then add the spices and voila! Leave it on warm for a bit, stirring occasionally.  Again, it likes to stick to the bottom so be aware.

While you are letting the soup sit on low, you have time for other important things, like making the grilled cheese!

Enjoy!! I hope you like it!