We think the following is a perfect description of comfort food: "An item that is defined as a food which invokes a positive emotion in your brain. You don’t consciously remember when you first ate this food but you do know that it gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside that you crave." What better epitomizes comfort food than a warm, delicious bowl of tomato soup.
Here is a favorite recipe of ours from The New Basics Cookbook. It serves six which may be great for the family or for a few meals for yourself. Include with a salad and warm French bread.
Recipe
70 ounces plum tomatoes with their juice -- (2-35 ounce cans)
2 carrots -- thinly sliced
2 onions -- thinly sliced
2 T. olive oil
6 cloves garlic -- chopped (6 to 8)
1/4 tsp. grating of nutmeg
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 pinch oregano
4 cups chicken broth (I used 1 can vegetable broth and 2 cups water)
2 T. sugar
Salt and pepper -- to taste
2 cups cream or half-and-half
Directions
Saute onions, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil, until limp, about 10 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, except cream. Bring to a boil.
Turn heat down and cover slightly, simmer for 50 minutes.
Puree the soup in a blender (be very careful to not put too much soup in blender at one time, so it doesn't explode throughout your kitchen!)
Put back in soup pot. Add the cream or half-and-half, heat through.
Adjust seasonings.