Creamy Tomato Rice Soup

Today I am feeling a little like 'old mother Hubbard'. Tomorrow is my big grocery shopping day and I realized that I have been really diligent this past week in using up the food in the fridge...in fact so much so, that I didn't have much left to make this weeks cauldron for Hubs' lunches.

Ugh!

...So I turned to the pantry...

There I found a can of diced tomatoes, a jar of organic roasted garlic pasta sauce and a Tetra-pack of chicken stock. The only left-overs suitable to put into a soup were a small container of basmati rice from last night's dinner, a small bunch of basil and some creme fraiche...

So this week's cauldron features: Creamy Tomato Rice Soup!

This recipe is a snap to make and takes only about 20 minutes start to finish (even if you have to cook the rice first...)

Creamy Tomato Rice Soup
Ingredients:
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 jar roasted garlic pasta sauce (my favourite is Simply Natural, organic)
1/4 tsp garlic pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Sea salt, to taste
1 Tbsp liquid honey
1 small bunch basil, chopped fine (or 1 Tbsp dried)
1 ounce dry Vermouth
2/3 cup left-over basmati rice
2 Tbsp creme fraiche (or cream or sour cream)

Method:
In large saucepan, combine tomatoes, chicken stock, pasta sauce, garlic pepper, cayenne, salt, basil and Vermouth and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Add rice; stir in creme fraiche. Serves 4-6.