Recipe 4, Week 32: Cream of Tomato Soup

My picture didn't turn out so here's one similar to how mine looked from foodnetwork.com

NOTES
• Modified from The New Basics Cookbook
• This soup needs to simmer for about an hour on the stove. Make the night before or morning of (do not add cream until end) and store in fridge until ready to reheat and add cream.

INGREDIENTS
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large cans (28-35 oz each) plum tomatoes, with their juice (or whole tomatoes)
• 8 large fresh basil leaves, slivered (use your kitchen scissors to thinly slice) OR 1-2 tbsp prepared pesto
• Pinch of sugar (takes the bitterness out of the canned tomatoes)
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 2 c. heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes with their juice, basil (if using pesto instead, do not add until the end), sugar and salt (start with 2 tsp), red pepper flakes and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes then add the chicken broth and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially ocver and simmer for 50 minutes.
3. Puree the soup in batches, in a blender or food processor. (If freezing, stir in the pesto (if not using basil) and freeze. To reheat, thaw, reheat and stir in 2 c. cream, adjust seasonings and heat through.) If eating immediately, return pureed soup to pan and add pesto (if not using basil) and cream. Heat through and adjust seasonings. (May need to add several more teaspoons of salt.)