The weather here in New Jersey took a dramatic turn this week…it got real cold real fast!  One of my favorite ways to combat the frigid temperatures is to make a delicious, hot soup.  So, I searched my soup board on Pinterest and found this recipe.  I was particularly happy because I had all of the ingredients in my pantry already.  No going out to the store in the cold for me!  I was also quite excited to break out my immersion blender, which I haven’t touched in months!

I like the soup.  It wasn’t my favorite, but it was smooth and warmed me right up.  My husband wasn’t much of a fan.  He prefers a chunky soup with lots of meat and veggies.  If you’re like him, I would skip this recipe.

If you’re going to give it a try though, start by prepping the veggies…

• Chop up 3 cloves of garlic and 2 medium onions.

• Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.

• Once the butter is melted, add the onions and garlic.

• Stir to coat in the butter, then add 3 bay leaves.

• Stir again and cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is soft (about 8-10 minutes).

• Meanwhile, drain and chop up 1 can of artichokes.

• Once the onions and garlic are cooked through, add the artichokes.

• Add 1 large can of diced tomatoes.

• Pour in 1 cup water.

• Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano.

• Then, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of dried basil.

• Stir to combine all ingredients and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

• Once the 10 minutes are up, take out your immersion blender and blend until the soup is silky and smooth.  (If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully ladle the soup into a regular blender and blend until smooth.)

• Pour in 1 cup of milk.  (I used skim and it worked fine.  Use whatever is in your fridge!)

• Season with s&p.

Serve immediately.

You can add some croutons and grated parmesan cheese as toppers…

Or, make a simple grilled cheese to go along with the soup.  Perfect for dipping!  Enjoy!