Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup

So Little Devil was home for the holidays from college.  It turned into a giant cooking fest/pig tour.  I cooked all of her favorites, and we dined out at all of her favorite restaurants.  As much as I miss her, my waistline doesn't!  One of her first requests was this soup.  I didn't mind making it at all.  1) It's freaking delicious and the whole family loves it.  2) She's may be 19, but she's my baby and if she wants Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup, she'll get Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup.  3) It all goes in one pot and doesn't require much preparation.  #WINNING all the way around.  I had more time to spend with Little Devil to decide what and where she wanted to eat next.

A family favorite! 
Don't forget the croutons...
(I have to double the crouton recipe because
Little Devil likes them so much!)

Throw everything into a roasting pan.
You don't even have to peel the veggies.
Drizzle with olive oil and season
with salt and pepper.

Roast until everything is soft, caramelized
and slightly-blackened.

Run mixture through a food mill to remove
skins, stems and seeds.

Add water or milk.  Heat through and serve!

Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup

approximately 5 pounds fresh tomatoes (I prefer Romas)
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained
fresh basil to taste
1-2 fresh jalapenos (or more if you want it really fiery!) roughly chopped

2 onions, quartered (you don't even have to peel them)
1 whole bulb of garlic cut in half (you don't even have to peel or mince it)
fresh parsley

fresh thyme

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup milk or water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large roasting pan, or oven-safe baking dish, layer the: fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, basil, jalapeno peppers, onions, garlic, parsley and thyme.  Drizzle each layer with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.  Make sure everything is well combined.  Roast in the oven until the vegetables are soft, caramelized, and starting to blacken on the edges.  (I usually set the timer in 20-minute increments and check the vegetables and stir occasionally.)  Once everything is blackened, run the mixture through a food mill, or press through a sieve or chinois.  (This is where the skins, seeds and stems are trapped and don't make it into your finished soup.)  Place the liquid in a stock pot.  Over medium heat, stir in milk or water.  (You may need a little more milk or water if the mixture seems too thick.)  Check to see if you need to re-season with salt and pepper.  Heat through and serve with croutons.

Prep Time:  Approximately 40 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 2 hours

Croutons

1 loaf French or Italian bread, cubed
olive oil
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place bread cubes in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil.  You just want them lightly coated, not soggy.  Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Spread evenly onto a jelly-roll pan and bake until lightly-toasted.  Serve with soup.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 20 minutes