Rough Puff Tomato Basil Soup

I was in a funk yesterday, when I woke up, I just sat in my favorite chair, sippin' on tea and sighed. I didn't sigh ever so often, I sighed whenever I could. What was wrong with me? Why the funk? I know I just gave birth 3 1/2 months ago but should THIS much hormones still be in me? I didn't want to do anything, I wanted to sit, stare at the walls and sigh. I tried to Facebook it, all I could do was muster up this status, "I'm in a funk". I'm never like this, usually by noon, I've accomplished so much but no, not yesterday, I wasn't in the mood, I didn't have the energy.

Around 1 o'clock, I decided because I was in a funk it didn't mean I couldn't at least make dinner for my family. Because I wasn't myself, I thought I'd do something to get me in a better mood. I told my husband to watch the baby and I ran into the grocery store.

I go to my favorite store only to realize that my shirt has baby spit all over it, my skirt was not even close to being crisp and ironed, I had no make-up and I knew the Scuba-Pro baseball hat was not working well with what I had on. I didn't care. I, remember, was in a funk.

I got my ingredients, came home and started cooking. Once the meal was over, I looked at the soup, it smelled and tasted delicious but I didn't want to pour soup into a bowl and say, "here ya go, honey, enjoy". So, I decided to take it one more funky step and make a "rough puff". Let me tell ya, next time you make soup and you want to add that extra step that makes you look like you are one killer cook, add rough puff, it's easy and delish!

Oh, by the way, the reason why I was in a funk turned out a stupid cold was coming my way and now I sit here with a sore throat. Sigh. At least I have left over soup for lunch today!

2 28 cans of whole peeled tomatoes (this recipe makes a lot of soup)

1/2 stick of butter (I use Smart Balance - still dieting)

Parmesan cheese (I use a chunk and grate it myself, HUGE DIFFERENCE)

6 gloves of garlic

1 large onion

1 can of tomato paste

1 can of tomato sauce

2 teaspoons of bay leaf

2 teaspoons of thyme

fresh basil

half & half or heavy whipping cream (I used fat free and it was delicious)

Chop up your onion.

Melt you butter and add your onions in a big pot. Cook your onions in the butter at a medium low heat for 5 minutes to soften the onions, you do not want to add color to the onions so make sure you put a lid on it.

Look how the onions are soft and not browned. Add your garlic now. Let cook for another 5 minutes.

Now add your 2 cans of tomatoes, juice and all.

Add bay leaf and thyme, 2 teaspoons each. Of course, you can always add more, you decide. Let veggies cook for 45 minutes on low heat.

This is what the veggies look like after you let it cook .

Add your tomato paste and tomato sauce into the mix and stir well.

Add your fat free half & half or if you're not on a diet, use heavy cream of regular half & half. Stir.

Pour everything into your blender, blend it up really good. Add your fresh basil. I use lots in it, use it all if you want, it won't hurt. Once you blended it up good, add it back into your pot. I have an immersion blender but I wanted to rock it old school and do it this way!

Grate some cheese now.

Add a handful or two of cheese into the soup and stir well. Remove from heat, let it cook at room temp for 30 minutes and then place in refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours to let the flavor blend, trust me, let it rest and chill before you eat, the flavor are amazing when you do.

Rough Puff Dough:

1 cup of plain flour

1 pinch of salt

3 T of butter

3 T of lard/Crisco

cold water

Sift the flour into a large bowl

On another plate, take your butter and Crisco and chop them up into small pieces

Add fats to the flour

Add salt to the mix

Add a little cold water until it forms a dough ball.

Hand mix it until well blended. Do not use a rolling pin.

Place back in fridge for 45 minutes.