Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

2 cans peeled whole tomatoes (drained but reserve liquid (should be 3 cups full))
1 1/2 onion (chopped)
1 green onion (chopped)
1 tbsp. garlic (minced)
2 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
3 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1-5 oz. can evaporated milk
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (chopped)
2 tbsp. fresh chives
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Garlic Powder (to taste)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a baking dish, add the tomatoes in a single layer and sprinkle on the brown sugar, onion and half of the minced garlic. Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes are browned and dry; finely chop after they cool. In the slow cooker, add in the tomato mix, the reserved liquid from the tomatoes, chicken broth, the remainder of the minced garlic, the green onion, tomato paste and allspice to the slow cooker; mix together and cover; cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Add in the milk, basil and fresh chives; stir. Season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder and cook for 35 minutes on HIGH. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Tomato Basil Soup is the winter-time soup:-) It is great when your sick or whenever you just want to warm up with fresh basil during the cold months...Ironically, it's not necessary here in the District yet, today feels like a day at the end of August/beginning of September, but hey, we can always store up good recipes for the winter, right?

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