¼ cup butter
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced onions
1 cup finely diced carrots
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or ¼ cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup butter
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups half and half
¼ tsp black pepper
In a large pot, melt ¼ cup butter. Saute celery and onions until soft. Add carrots and saute a little longer. Add 2 cans diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender.
While the vegetables are cooking make a roux of ½ cup melted butter, add
½ cup flour. Stir constantly with a whisk until the flour is a light brown color. Slowly stir in 1 cup of hot soup to the roux. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the soup. Stir until smooth. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cups half and half and ¼ tsp black pepper.