Tomato Basil Soup
 

This is the soup I grew up having with grilled cheese sandwiches and what my kids compare to other tomato soup.

I can of tomato sauce. I like Red Gold brand or Cento San Marzaon whole tomatoes pureed. When growing up we had grandmother's garden tomatoes that she canned.
Stir in cream, half and half or milk until tomatoes turn a light orange color, to taste, I prefer cream.
Add a lot of basil (I use the basil in the tube) to taste.
Heat and enjoy

I've been making my own tomato soup since having too large a crop of tomatoes a couple years ago. I actually call mine TV soup as I add carrots, onions, red peppers, celery, whatever I can find in the freezer that needs to be used up. Then I puree all of it so you really can't tell what's in the soup. Still tastes like tomato soup as it's mostly tomatoes from the garden but you're getting a little added vitamins from the rest of the veggies. The folks I've offered my pints of soup seem to like it so I must be doing something right. I just hate to see anything go to waste and when my neighbors were hiding from me when they saw me coming with a basket full of veggies at the end of the summer, I had to do somethng with them.

I also dehydrate cherry tomatoes for those recipes calling for sun dried tomatoes. I don't keep them in olive oil but in a canning jar in the pantry. I also dry the larger tomatoes and then pulverize them into almost a powder to put them into tomato sauces that are a bit too wet. This powder sucks up the excess moisture plus gives it a punch more of tomato flavor.

Those are great idea Suz. I like puree-ing the veggies to add to soup. Makes it a lot more nutritious. I make my own soups from scratch also and I'm always looking for ways to make them healthier.

I like the idea of the "tomato powder" to add to recipes. I don't have a hydrator, but it might be on my list now.

I have a dehydrator but haven't used it in years. Since I'm cooking for two it's easier to buy dried. We have a small raised bed garden so not that much produce is grown.

cashs_mom, you can dry the veggies in the oven at a very low temp such as 250 or lower if yours goes that low. I also dry zuccini and mushrooms as I found a recipe in a doctor's office a couple years ago for a beef/mushrrom barley soup and it called for dried mushrooms. That's when I decided to try drying mushrooms. The zucchini I'll put thru the food processor until not quite a powder as this way I don't have to grate them. I also leave the skin on them too.

My squash soup I do the same with adding all sorts of veggies into it before I puree it and then add the chopped up sausage. You may see a bit of carrot or red pepper occasionally but that's just all the fun in it.

Thanks! I'll try that this year with the tomatoes my husband grows.

Snooze2978...I love your idea of tomato powder. Canning tomatoes in 100 degree weather is not my favorite thing to do.