Tomato Soup!

tomatoes, probably 14 various sizes, whole, peeled, just top part of core removed

2 cups bottled tomato juice

1 onion, diced or minced as small as you'd like

9 tablespoons butter, divided

2 cups half and half

4 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon basil

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

For equipment I used a strainer, a dutch oven pot, my immersion blender, a wooden spoon, my digital canner, and ended up using 7 pint jars with lids and rings.

Put tomatoes and tomato juice in pot to cook down. Use immersion blender to smooth out. Add onions and garlic that were softened in 3 tablespoons butter, and then add basil, sugar, salt, pepper.

Make roux with half and half and flour in 6 tablespoons butter. Use immersion blender to smooth. Add to the tomato mixture.

I filled the warmed pint jars, wiped the rims, put on the lids and finger tightened the rings. I processed these using the water bath cycle for 30 minutes. It was very easy, the hardest part was the handling of the freezing cold tomatoes.