Tomato Basil Soup
From the recipe box of Maggie Christians
This is a simple recipe for a delicious soup that can be enjoyed immediately or easily canned or frozen to enjoy later.
Ingredients
12 pounds tomatoes, cored and rough chop
1 cup onions, rough chop
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 basil, rough chop and
loosely packed
salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
Place all of the ingredients, except the basil, in an oven-safe baking dish and roast at 400F for 20–30 minutes until tomatoes are soft and slightly blistered. You can remove skins easily at this point if desired. You can also remove the tomato seeds prior to baking. I prefer to leave both in for texture and taste.
Place cooked tomato mixture into a blender or food processor with basil and blend until desired texture.
Pour into a pot and heat over medium-high heat until soup comes to a simmer. Season to taste.
If canning (this recipe can also be frozen at this point instead), add two tablespoons of lemon juice into each clean, sterilized, hot quart jar before ladling soup into jars. (Use 1 tablespoon lemon juice per pint jar and 2 tablespoons per quart jar). Keep 1/2 inch of headspace and remove any air pockets. Wipe each jar rim with a clean, warm washcloth dipped in vinegar. Add sanitized, hot lids and then rings, tightening until the rings are hand-tight. Place jars in your water bath canner, making sure the water level is 2 inches above the jars. Once the water is at a full, roiling boil again, process your quarts for 45 minutes (pints for 40 minutes).
