Canned Tomato Soup

I wanted to tell you about this recipe before canning season is upon me and I have little time for posting.  Once the tomatoes are in- you so need to make this soup.  It is delicious.  Has a name brand feel to it but it is EVEN BETTER.  If you just want to make a small batch to try- do it.  I so encourage you, it is delicious. 

It has been real nice having this through the winter.  A quick meal.  This home made soup and some grilled cheese sandwiches... YUM.

I am not so sure on the process but I will continue to experiment with how to do the flour thing to maximize the greatest taste. I thought maybe a roux but that was very difficult on large scale.

Tomato Soup
Adapted from this recipe at Food.com from a Mennonite source.

6 onions, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
8 quarts fresh tomatoes (or 5-6 quarts of juice) peeled
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
1 cup butter
1 cup flour

Place onion and celery in large kettle with butter.  Fry until it is barely golden.  Add tomatoes to kettle and cook until they break down and fall apart. Add sugar and salt.

Cream butter and flour together& mix thoroughly with two cups of COLD juice, until dissolved (or blend together in a blender), to avoid lumps of flour in the juice. Add butter/flour mixture to warmed tomato juice. 
Stir well.  Heat just until hot.

Ladle into jars& close securely with lids. Return to canner & process 20-30 minutes (start timing when it's at a 'rolling' boil).

Remove from canner & allow to set until sealed (approx. 12 hours) To serve, mix equal parts tomato concentrate to milk, and add 1/2 t. of baking soda per pint as it cooks (1 t. per quart).