Secret Ingredient Tomato Soup

Secret Ingredient Tomato soup (I halved the recipe and still had left overs)

3 tbs. olive oil

1 small onion diced

5 cloves garlic minced

3-14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

7 oz. prepared pesto 

1 tbs. sugar

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp thyme

s & p to taste

1 cup fat free half & half ( I used heavy whipping cream)

Directions:

 

In large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onions 3-5 min or until soft and translucent.  Stir in garlic and cook another minute.  Poor in tomatoes, chicken stock, pesto, sugar, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and puree using an immersion blender or regular blender.  Only add 1 cup at a time  to blender and cover with towel in case it splatters hot soup.  Stir in half and half or heavy cream and serve hot.