23. Ten-Minute Tomato Soup

I am stepping off the roller coaster. Done. Finito. Go bye-bye.

This week has taken more out of me than I think I knew I had. And that is enough whining; let us never speak of this week (or, hell, the rest of this month) again. Fortunately, in times of trouble there is always soup to the rescue.

It is astonishing how little time this particular soup takes to make. And astonishing how good it tastes once it's made.

A Meal Plan to accompany this soup:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Make "baked" potatoes in the microwave, stopping the microwave before the potatoes are entirely done.
3. Take the potatoes out of the microwave. Put them in the oven.
4. Make the soup.
5. When the soup is done, take the potatoes out of the oven. They will be crispy on the outside, nummy on the inside and entirely unlike those sad little characters you think of when you think of microwaved "baked" potatoes.

Ten-Minute (Tops) Tomato Soup
Serves four, especially when accompanied with a split baked potato.

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes (or one standard diced tomatoes and one tomatoes w/chiles, which you all know I love)
1 cup heavy cream (I suppose you could use half-and-half, but it would be a little bit of a travesty)
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp dried oregano or mixed dried herbs (a.k.a. "Italian seasoning")
1/2 tsp salt
A wee dash of hot sauce
Fresh ground pepper
To garnish: chopped fresh parsley, crunchy croutons, crumbled white cheese (cotija or feta?), or whatever else your little heart desires

Puree the tomatoes until smooth in a blender or food processor.

Combine all ingredients (except, duh, the garnishes) in a saucepan. Heat through gently (!) over medium-low heat. Do not let it boil or the cream will become totally unacceptably curdly.

Taste to check seasoning; correct as needed. Serve forth, garnished or not. Enjoy. Collapse. Sleep well.