Creamy Tomato Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 tomatoes (or 28 ounce can whole tomatoes undrained)
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
6 cups low-fat milk
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
15 ounces low-sodium tomato sauce
8 ounces tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional) or 1/2-1 cup American cheese (optional)

Preparation

If using fresh tomatoes, peel the tomatoes, preserving as much juice as possible. Place peeled whole (or canned whole) tomatoes in a large kettle. Simmer tomatoes in their juices over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are mushy and easily break apart when stirred with a wooden spoon.
In a skillet, saute the onion and celery in butter about 5 minutes, or until onions are clear. Add the sauteed onion mixture to the kettle with the tomatoes. Add milk, baking soda, sugar, celery salt, tomato sauce and tomato paste to the kettle, and stir well. Simmer over low heat until the soup is beginning to steam, but don't let it come to a boil (or the milk can separate from the tomato base, giving the soup a clumpy rather than a creamy texture). Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot, with a handful of cheese sprinkled on the top of each serving.