Gourmet Tomato Soup

Lately I've been wondering how I could make good tomato soup quick and easy.  I like creamy tomato soups, so something with cream in it would be good.  Of course we all know I started out by googling for tomato soup recipes.  That got me no where because so many of those started out with peeling tomatoes and sauteing onions.  I wanted quick and easy.

So then I started thinking again.  The main components of a creamy tomato soup are pureed tomatoes and cream.  So what could I do to combine those in a quick and easy way and come up with a wonderful soup.  Then it came to me.  It was staring me in the face as I stood there in the grocery store.  Pasta sauce!! 

Really, I'm not kidding.  It is already full of flavor, pureed and ready to use.  All I needed to do was add cream.  Or at least that is what I was hoping would work.  Of course I did end up adding a little more seasoning.  2 out of 3 kids gave their approval and that is amazing since none of them will touch a tomato unless it's on pasta. 

Before I give you the recipe let me say, this does not taste like pasta sauce and yet it does taste like pasta sauce.  The cream and additional seasonings alter it, but the underlying flavor of an Italian red sauce is still there. 

I used jarred sauce because my homemade sauce has been gone for months.  But you could easily use homemade sauce for this and it would probably be even better.  I also used dried herbs because that is what I have.  I am looking forward to making this again in the future with fresh basil.

Cheater Tomato Soup
1 24oz Jar Pasta Sauce
1 16oz Carton of Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1-2 tsp Italian Seasoning
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pot over medium-high heat.  Stir until hot. 

That's it.  You may want to adjust the seasonings depending on the pasta sauce you use since some have more seasonings than others.  I used a "traditional" flavor so the seasonings were minimal. 

My daughter, Jade, and I area discussing adding chopped pepperoni and topping it with shredded mozzarella cheese for a Pizza Soup.  We would serve it with fresh bread sticks.