Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
1 1/2 C chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 T minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 lbs. tomatoes coarsely chopped (5 large)
1 1/2 t sugar
1 T tomato paste
1/4 c packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves for garnish
3 C chicken stock
1 T salt
2 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 heavy cream
Croutons for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium low heat.
Add the onions, carrots and saute for about 10 minutes until very tender.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt and pepper and stir well.
Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30-40 min. until the tomatoes are very tender.
Add the cream and process through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp.
Reheat the soup until just hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.
Enjoy!
Serving suggestion: toasted cheese bread