Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

I bought an abundance of fresh veggies to bring for lunch with hummus this past week.  How did that turn out, you ask?  The veggies are still sitting in the fridge and I just tossed the hummus.  In the middle of a busy work day the very last thing I want to eat is hummus and veggies, I should know that by now.  I need warm and filling.  This weekend is turning into a mad rush to use said vegetables before they go bad... I hate wasting.  So here's what I did with the pint of cherry tomatoes:

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

You'll need:

• 1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 T olive oil
• sea salt
• 1 T butter
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 T dried basil
• 1/2 t dried thyme
• 1/2 T sugar
• 1 cup of broth (chicken or veggie, I used chicken)
• 1/3 cup half and half (or heavy cream, or sour cream depending on your tastes)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Slice tomatoes in half and mix with 1 T olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt in a bowl.

Spread tomatoes out onto a baking sheet, making sure all the flat sides are facing up, and roast for 25 minutes-- this is when they will start to caramelize.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot and add minced garlic and shallots.  Cook for about three minutes, swooning over how good it smells. 

Next I add the thyme, basil, salt and pepper because I think the flavors get incorporated into the butter and become better pronounced in the actual soup.  

Once the garlic and shallots are beginning to turn light brown, add the can of crushed tomatoes and the sugar.  Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer until the tomatoes are finished roasting.

Add roasted tomatoes and chicken broth to the pot of crushed tomatoes.  

Stir, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Use an immersion blender or transfer to a stand up blender to combine until smooth.

Stir in half and half*, warm for a few minutes, then serve!

(I don't recommend an overly-toasted grilled cheese to go alongside, a regularly toasted grilled cheese will do just fine... gotta hate electric stoves.)

*I ended up using 2 tablespoons of half and half and 2 tablespoons of sour cream because I had both in the fridge.