Tomato Bisque

Ingredients

Bacon. (This is where the love comes from.)
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion (white or yellow, your preference no red)
1 cup diced celery
4 cups beef broth
1 large (22oz-ish) can crushed tomatoes
1 16oz can diced tomatoes
fresh sprigs of thyme, rosemary and sage
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• In a medium-sized stockpot, crisp 4-6 slices of bacon.
• Remove bacon and set aside.
• In the rendered bacon grease, saute carrots, onions and celery until soft.
• Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes.
• Tie herb sprigs together and toss in the soup.
• Add bay leaf.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove herbs and bay leaf.
• Remove pot from heat.
• Working a few cups at a time, puree soup in a blender until smooth.
• Add soup back to the pot and return to low to medium heat.
• slowly add one cup of cream while stirring.
• Serve with crumbled bacon, sour cream and grated cheddar cheese.
• Variation: Add diced roasted red peppers when sauteing veggies to add some heat.