Perfect Day for a Bowl of Soup

It's a cool, rainy day, which I've been hoping for. Perfect for some Josh Groban, good books, and soup. I grew up on homemade bread and soup, and it's one of my favorite things to eat and make. It's also one of the things I miss during the summer. We decided it sounded good for lunch, so I thought I'd share one of our new favorites:

Tomato, Cheese and Bread Soup

8 ounces crusty Sourdough croutons
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
9 garlic cloves, minced
3 large onions, finely chopped
8 cups chicken stock or low-salt chicken broth
2 28oz cans peeled plum tomatoes, drained and crushed
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Parmesan Reggiano rind (optional)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shavings
1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until very tender, about 25 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, cheeses and cheese rind. Simmer soup uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. For smoother texture, puree in blender or food processor before serving.

Ladle soup into bowls. Add croutons, torn basil, and Parmesan cheese shavings just before serving.

I use whatever cheese I have on hand and make my own croutons with whatever leftover bread I have in the fridge. Just cut it up, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and spices if you want, and bake at 350 until they're golden and crunchy, 25 minutes or so.

Yum! Sorry, no pictures. We ate it before we could get the camera out! :)