Rachel's Thick and Creamy Tomato Soup

So, I was looking for a recipe that is a mock of Paradise Bakery's Fire Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup and I found several different, even one that claimed it was really close. So, I decided to take those recipes and make my own and this is what I came up with. I haven't dined on it yet, I'm waiting for my grilled cheese sandwich to be done, but I have tasted it and I'm satisfied with it. :) This was really easy to put together and there was little mess because I used soo few dishes!

Rachel's Thick and Creamy Tomato Soup

• Olive Oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 ribs of celery
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes
• 1 6oz. can of tomato paste
• 1 8oz. can of tomato sauce
• 1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 2 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 c. milk
• 4 c. chicken broth
• shake of red pepper flakes

Peel tomatoes and core and cut into quarters (an easy way to peel tomatoes is to dunk them into boiling water for 30 seconds then dunk them into a ice water bath until you can handle them and the skins will slip right off.) Place the tomatoes on a pan and drizzle about 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Place the tomatoes under the broiler, turning every so often, don't let them burn! While those are roasting, dice your onion and celery and saute in your pot until slightly translucent. Add your minced garlic and saute for about another minute more. check your tomatoes and if you think they're ready put them in your pot along with the butter, tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and broth. Stir it all together and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling reduce the heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add your spices and let simmer another ten minutes. Check the flavor and adjust to your tastes. When it's ready, use an immersion blender to blend to your desired consistency. I like mine thick so I don't blend that much and I let it simmer for a total of 40 minutes so there was less water in my soup. At this point add the milk or cream or half and half, which ever you prefer. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can blend it in batches in a regular blender, just be careful because it's HOT! I hope whoever reads this enjoys it like I do!