Tomato Soup (Taste of Yum) - from Colleen

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 2 carrots, chopped
• half of a yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 cups chicken broth (more to thin out the soup at the end as needed)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
• cream (optional - to add at the end as desired)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fry the bacon in a large soup pot over medium low heat until bacon starts to get crispy and browned, about 5-8 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic to the bacon in the pan; saute for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are very aromatic and tender.
3. Add the tomato paste - stir for a few minutes until you can see/smell the tomato paste starting to brown and caramelize. Add the flour and stir for a minute or so.
4. Pour the tomatoes and their juice into a bowl and crush them with your hands. Add the broth, thyme, bay leaf, and tomatoes to the soup pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in batches and return to the pot. Add cream if you want.