Getting back into the swing of things after vacation(no matter how small) always takes me a little bit of time to adjust. Luckily for me I made soup and froze it before I left so I don't need to worry about really making anything extra today. Which is great because I still have much to unpack and dreaded laundry to do. This soup is partially a copy cat recipe from a chain restaurant that I used to go to when living in Phoenix. I change it up a bit by not just adding basil to the soup but actually pesto.  La Madeleine Tomato Basil Soup 4 cups tomatoes (8 to 10), peeled, cored and chopped,     or 4 cups whole tomatoes, crushed 4 cups unsalted tomato juice 12 to 14 fresh basil leaves(I chose to use a 1/2 cup of pesto, recipe follows)* 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup sweet unsalted butter, softened 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper Salt, to taste Combine tomatoes and juice in saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes over medium low heat. Cool slightly, then place in blender. Add … [Read more...]