Cathy's Sherried Tomato Soup...To. Die. For.

At this point I have made this recipe on several occasions and it is absolutely excellent. It is a recipe from Pioneer Woman and she's never failed me yet. :)

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp Melted Butter
1 Whole Medium Onion, Diced
1 46 oz. Bottle of Tomato Juice (T: I used Campbell's Brand)
2 14 oz. Cans of Diced Tomatoes (T: I used Del Monte's Petite Minced)
2 Tbsp. Chicken Base (T: I used Better Than Bouillon)
3-6 Tbsp. Sugar (T: I used 3)
1 Pinch Salt
Black Pepper to Taste (T: I used 1/2 Tbsp.)
1 C. Cooking Sherry (T: oops...I only used 1/2...I just realized. BTW you can find this in the oil and vinegar aisle at your grocery store. It is salty, so do not add additional salt until you have combined and tasted your soup.)
1 1/2 C. Heavy Cream
Chopped Fresh Parsley
Chopped Fresh Basil (T: I only had dried)

In a soup/stock pot, Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, salt, pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in cooking sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste.
Adjust the other seasonings and serve with crusty bread and butter.

Beginning to end I cranked this out in 20 minutes. It was excellent hot and fresh...and no doubt will be even more so tomorrow.

I am tucking this recipe away, not just as a tomato soup, but as a base soup for other soups (such as without the cream and with more veggies and beans a minestrone, etc. The sky's the limit!)