Western Tomato Soup

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can tomato soup
• 1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 pinch sugar (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a stockpot or large dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp; drain and set aside, reserving bacon drippings in pot.
• 2 sauté celery, onion, and green pepper in bacon drippings until softened; add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes; whisk together milk and tomato soup, then pour gradually into pot and stir until smooth; add all ingredients except bacon; heat and stir over medium heat until soup is slightly thickened.
• 3 top with crumbled bacon and serve. note that the soup may be pureed. i like to rough-puree mine until it is mostly smooth, but has some small pieces of tomatoes and veggies remaining.