Creamy Tomato Soup With Herbs

An easy, delicious tomato soup without the fancy price of the "gourmet" soup to be found on the grocery shelf. From the "Desperation Dinners" ladies: Beverly Mills & Alicia Ross... one of my favorite columns in the (Raleigh NC) News & Observer.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon olive oil
• 1  small onion (for about 1/2 c chopped)
• 1  teaspoon garlic (bottled minced)
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil oregano and garlic (see Note)
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1  cup milk or 1  cup half-and-half
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese (grated or shredded)
•  croutons, plain (optional) or  garlic (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in 4 1/2 qt Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
2. Peel and chop onion and add to pot, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add garlic, stir and cook 30 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes with juice and tomato sauce.
5. Raise the heat to high and bring soup to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low.
7. Stir in milk and Parmesan cheese; do NOT boil the soup after the milk has been added.
8. Stir and heat for 2 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and serve at once, garnished w/ croutons if desired.
10. NOTE: If you cannot find the DelMonte brand of tomatoes seasoned with basil, garlic, and oregano, use plain diced tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon each of basil and oregano.