Marsha's/Taste of Home's Tomato Tortellini Soup

I love tortellini!  Both Scott and I thought this delicate and creamy tomato soup was a great way to serve up some of my favorite cheese tortellini.  Smooth, rich, with little sweet chewy bits of sun-dried tomatoes, this soup is a hit at our house.  Enjoy with a nice crusty piece of toast, half a sandwich or a side salad, and you have yourself a yummy light lunch. As always, I made just a few slight changes. To see the original recipe on the Taste of Home website, click here.

Marsha's/Taste of Home's Tomato Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (13 ounces each) frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 2 cups vegetable broth (approx. one 14 oz. can)
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 cups (or one pint) half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (approx. 4 oz.)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Additional shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or very large pot, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. 
3. Drain tortellini; carefully add to soup. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired. 

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup (calculated without additional cheese) equals 245 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 756 mg sodium,