recipe : Tuesday's Tomato Soup

There's a burger & shakes place by Bear Lake in Garden City, Utah, which bears the highly-descriptive name of Quick n' Tasty. On late summer afternoons when the fam is tired and gritty from a day at the lake and we need fresh raspberry shakes to end the day right, I prefer the Quick n' Tasty to the more well-known LaBeau's, probably just because I like to say Quick n' Tasty. And I like to say it with feeling.

PeeWee and I threw this soup together for dinner from what we could find in the cupboard because I haven't been grocery shopping for ages--and I'm happily surprised it turned out so well. What else haven't I done for ages? Post on this blog. No matter, no one reads it anyway. But it makes a good place to save this recipe, which was, by golly, quick... n' tasty!

Tuesday Tomato Soup

1 large yellow onion
4 medium carrots
3 celery stalks
1 T olive oil
28 oz. jar of marinara sauce
1 tsp. chicken soup base or bouillon
1/2 granulated garlic
2 T. pesto sauce
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Sauté the chopped onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add marinara sauce, chicken soup base, garlic, and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Purée using an immersion blender, then stir in pesto sauce and vinegar. Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve with the last few croutons from that bag you forgot was in the cupboard. If you're not in the mood for the vinegar, you could stir in 1/3 c. of sour cream, if you have it.

Yes, I know it's not Tuesday. I made this soup on a Monday, but it's my blog and I like the way Tuesday and Tomato sound together. By Golly.

And yes, I did knit that washcloth in the picture, thanks for noticing. What's the pattern, you ask? It's here on Simply Notable: The Almost Lost Washcloth Pattern.