Now that the weather is starting to cool off a bit, here's another great soup recipe featuring fresh tomatoes!


2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
5 pounds ripe red tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
Freshly milled black pepper, to taste

Soup toppings (optional)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Croutons
Freshly milled black pepper

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot.  Add onions, reduce heat to low and let the onions cook, stirring occasionally.  While the onions cook,  prepare the tomatoes by removing the cores, then cut the tomatoes into quarters.  Add the tomatoes to the stockpot, then add the sugar, bay leaf, salt, and water.  Cover the stockpot and cook for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Once the tomatoes are cooked down, remove the stockpot from the heat.  Remove the bay leaf, then put the soup mixture through a food mill to remove the tomato peels.  Transfer the soup to a clean stockpot or sauce pan and heat the soup to serving temperature.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and add the toppings (if desired).  Refrigerate any leftovers.  Enjoy!!