Best . . . Tomato . . . Soup . . . Ever . . . !

Thanks, Melissa, for sharing Sarah Kramer's recipe for Cream of Tomato Soup from La Dolce Vegan! I, of course, made my own bastardized version, and I have to say, THIS IS THE BEST TOMATO SOUP I'VE EVER HAD! Enjoy.

1. Saute 1 small onion, finely chopped, in 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil until soft. (Keep the heat at medium-low so the flavor of the oil doesn't cook away.) Add 1 clove of garlic, minced, and cook until everything is fragrant and translucent.
2. Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth, 14 ounces crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt (or less), and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Puree the soup using a regular or immersion blender. (I used my new boat motor!) Stir in 1 cup "milk" of your choice, 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil, and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Heat through.

(The garlic and choosing fire-roasted tomatoes were my changes -- everything else is exactly as Melissa relayed.)

Segue . . .

I did not buy a yoga DVD at Target, as I had originally planned to do. I bought clothes instead. A dress, a skirt, and 5 tees/tanks. I get stuck on black shirts. Three of the shirts I bought were black, and the dress was black, too. Everyone says I should introduce more color into my wardrobe, and I try . . . but the colors don't get worn as often as all of the black. So I've tried to branch out and buy interesting-looking black shirts, with lots of cute details, so I can look a little more feminine and a little less frumpy. I think it's working? We'll see. (The skirt, however, is blue and twirly!)