creamy tomato and cream cheese soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 (29 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 8 cups beef stock
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

• place the tomatoes with juice in a well buttered oven-proof baking dish. mix in celery, garlic, and red pepper. cover, and bake at 325 degrees f (165 degrees c) for 25 minutes.
• in a large stock pot, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. add the mushrooms and onions, and cook and stir for about 8 minutes.
• slowly stir in flour and sugar. add beef stock, basil, rosemary, and thyme, stirring until soup comes to a boil. add the contents of the baked tomato pan from the oven, and bring to a boil. cover, and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.
• meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the cream cheese until smooth. season with salt and pepper to taste. slowly stir the cream cheese into the soup. garnish with chopped parsley.