Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup diced onion (or 1/2 onion, diced)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 tsp dried basil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups milk, warm
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 black pepper

Preparations:

1. Add vegetables, tomatoes, broth, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to the crock pot. 
2. Cook on low for roughly six hours.
3. Remove bay leaf. In batches, blend the hot soup. Return the smoothed soup to the pot. 
4. 30 minutes before serving, prepare the roux. Melt the butter on low in a sauce pan. Slowly add flour, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Stir for 6-7 minutes. Slowly mix in one cup of the soup. Once thoroughly combined, return mixture to the crock pot.
5. Add the parmesan, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook another 30 minutes.
6. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.