Fresh Tomato and Garlic Soup

Total time: 35 minutes
    Hot soup, perfect for cooler fall evenings but, with garden fresh tomatoes, still has the flavors of summer.  I used vermicelli, but any small pasta would work.  Or you could use spaghetti, breaking it into 1" (2.5cm) lengths.

 Ingredients:

• 2 garden ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) chicken stock
• 1/4 cup very small pasta - vermicelli, broken spaghetti
• 1 tbs snipped fresh basil
• 1 tbs snipped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

 Instructions:

• Finely chop onion and garlic.
• Sauté in medium saucepan in olive oil over medium heat until soft and transparent, 7 - 10 minutes. 
• Peel tomatoes and chop roughly. 
• Add tomatoes to onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. 
• Add chicken stock and pasta, cover and simmer over low heat for about 15  - 20 minutes, depending on pasta, stirring every few of minutes so pasta doesn't stick. 
• Remove from heat, add herbs, vinegar and serve.

Note: To peel tomatoes blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into cold water.  Peels should slip off easily.