Ingredients
SOUP
4 cups 2% milk
3 cans diced tomatoes (14oz), drained well
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 c. tomato paste
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
CHEESE AND PEAS CROUTONS
6 slices white sandwich bread
6 slices American, cheddar, or provolone cheese
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed but not cooked
Butter, for bread and for pan
Preparation
To Make Soup: Bring milk to a simmer slowly over medium flame. While milk is heating, mix all remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender until it becomes a paste. Mix paste into simmering milk, stirring gently, and cook on low for 20 minutes. To Make Cheese and Peas Croutons: Add butter to a wide, shallow pan, over low flame. Butter three slices of bread, only on one side each, and place bread butter-side down in pan. Add one slice of cheese to each slice of bread in the pan, and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Add ¼ c. thawed peas to each slice of bread, cover with a second slice of cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes. Butter the remaining three slices of bread, only on one side each, and place the bread butter-side up on top of each sandwich in the pan. Gently flip each sandwich, and apply pressure with spatula. Cook until crusty around the edges and toasted, and remove from heat. Cut each sandwich in half and then each half into 4 pieces. Ladle soup into 4 bowls. Float 6 croutons in each bowl of soup.
