Creamy Tomato-Balsamic Soup

I saw this recipe on Tracy's Culinary Adventures.
Tracy saw it in Cooking Light.
I forsee it in my belly sometime soon.
Oh Lordy this looks good!

Ingredients

• 1 cup less-sodium beef broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion $
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
• Cooking spray $
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 500°.
2. Combine 1/2 cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour broth mixture over tomato mixture. Bake at 500° for 50 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned.
3. Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Garnish with cracked black pepper, if desired.

Julie Grimes, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2005