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Tomato soup is one of those things that tastes just as good to me now as it did as a kid. It is the perfect snowy day lunch or light dinner. What usually makes tomato soup so good is the addition of cream; my standard recipe uses butter and flour to form a light roux and is finished with heavy cream. This version is totally dairy free, lower in fat, and draws upon a traditional Italian technique that incorporates bread for smoothness and body. This homemade soup is worlds better than the canned variety and so much cheaper than buying it in a deli or restaurant.

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 tsp dried basil
3 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into cubes
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste

Grilled Cheese Croutons
8 slices wheat or white bread
8 slices American cheese
4 tbsp butter, softened

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Sweat onion and celery until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add dried basil, tomatoes , bay leaf, sugar, and bread. Bring soup to a simmer and cook; during this time, the bread should begin to fall apart. Remove pot from heat, remove bay leaf, and add remaining tbsp olive oil. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Strain soup if desired and bring back to a simmer, add chicken stock, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with grilled cheese croutons.
To make grilled cheese croutons, assemble four sandwiches with 2 slices cheese each. Butter the outsides of the sandwiches and grill over medium low heat until very crisp and well browned. Remove from heat, trim the crusts, and cut sandwiches into small ½ inch squares.