There I was, like a jilted bride ditched at the altar, clutching a huge bouquet of leafy emerald green sweet basil and wondering what the heck to do next. Believe me, I had no plans for any major cooking projects using basil…

  Here is a wonderful cream of tomato soup. I’m pretty picky about what I serve to guests and I would serve this soup at a dinner party without hesitation. Absent distracting spices, the flavor of the tomatoes is pure and intense and the fresh…