Creamy Tomato-Tortellini Comfort Soup

“When trying to find the words to tell her how much I loved her, I stumbled across the ingredients for grilled cheese sandwiches. That’s when I realized she was the melted cheese to my toast. And the guy she’s currently seeing, the guy she left me for, well, I guess he is the tomato soup.
” ~Jarod Kintz

There is nothing like a toasty grilled cheese sandwich accompanied by a hot bowl of tomato soup. My Gram used to make her tomato soup with elbow macaroni in it and every now and then I find myself craving it. Last week I was having one of those cravings and happened upon a recipe for tomato soup on Pinterest. Don't even get me started on Pinterest. Ah Pinterest...how many hours I have lost to your addictive site.

The original Pinterest recipe called for regular tomato soup, whole milk and half and half but all I had in the house was reduced fat and sodium versions (obviously yet another diet had begun that Monday) so I used those and thought the soup tasted great. I also skipped the onion and garlic powders and sauteed some fresh ones instead.

I think my Gram would have approved.

Creamy Tomato-Tortellini Comfort Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cans reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 pkg (9 oz) frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 cups skim milk
• 2 cups fat free half-and-half
• 1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• few grinds of black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Sautee onion and garlic until tender.
• Add soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings and bring to a boil.
• Add tortellini and cook for 8-9 minutes.
• Stir in cheese.
• Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired.
  

Enjoy!