Monday Meals: Creamy Tomato Soup

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen has been in something of a tailspin. We went from having one stay-at-home parent, to no stay-at-home parents, to having one stay at home parent again, to currently having none. 2014 has been hectic, to say the least. One of the biggest challenges we've been facing is finding quick, go-to meals that are ready to eat quickly; so we don't resort to take-out and fast food every night for dinner. Needless to say, our slow cooker has become our best friend.

Here's a tried and true recipe we make at least once a month. It's a great way to sneak veggies into your kids diet (unless your kid is Sawyer, and refuses to eat tomatoes in any shape or form). Pair this with a grilled cheese sandwich, and you've got a delicious soup your family is going to love.

Creamy Tomato Soup

2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 t dried oregano
1T dried basil
1/2 bay leaf
1/2cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups milk, warmed
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the first eight ingredients in the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 5-7 hours, or high for 3-4 hours- until vegetables are tender.

Thirty minutes before serving, prepare a roux in a large saucepan by melting butter on low heat, and slowly whisking flour in. Whisk over low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until toasty (you'll know it's toasty by the smell).

Slowly stir in one cup of hot soup until well combined. Repeat with 3 more cups soup, stirring in one cup at a time. Add all ingredients back into the crock pot. Stir in Parmesan cheese and milk. Taste, and season as needed.


 Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and season again before serving. You have two choices at this point. You can serve the soup 'as is' for a more rustic style tomato soup, or you can use an immersion blender for a smoother consistency. We are big immersion blender fans. So we blend.

Notes from the Test Kitchen

Every season we freeze 20 pounds of whole tomatoes to use throughout the winter in chili, soups and stews. Part of the reason we make this soup so much, is so we can burn through all of our frozen tomatoes. The difference between canned and fresh tomatoes is like night and day. We encourage using fresh tomatoes, but canned will work in a pinch.

Making the roux might seem like a pain in the butt- but DO IT! It adds a nice, rich flavor to your soup.

I can't emphasize the importance of seasoning enough. For whatever reason, using a slow cooker really dulls the flavor of food- so please check the flavor of the soup before you serve it- and adjust the seasonings as needed.

As life adjusts to normal, we look forward to sharing more quick, easy dinners with you. Remember: food is love, people!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew