Tomato Basil Soup

1 1/4. cup pesto. (Homemade recipe at bottom)
5 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
Add above to crock pot on low

Sauté the following until soft
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup diced onion
2 stalks of celery
3/4 teaspoon oregano
2. Teaspoons sugar

Add sauté ingredients to tomatoes and pesto
And cook 7 hours.

With an emersion blender, blend the soup to the desired consistency. I let some of the vegetables remain without completely liquefying everything in the crock pot.

Add 1 1/3 cup cream just before serving.....very very good

I make the home made pesto, here it is;
Blend the following together (I used a spoon to mix thoroughly)
2/3 cup basil
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cloves of fresh garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt

Story: when visiting Elizabeth we often enjoy noon lunch at Zuppas. They have the best soup. I went online and found this 'copycat' recipe for Zuppas tomato basil soup, and it is great!  If we lived closer than 4. Hours away, I would go there once a week 😉