Tomato Soup with Basil Dumplings

Ingredients

I large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small red sweet pepper chopped about ½ cup
1 stalk celery chopped (about ½ cup)
3 cloves garlic minced
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with basil garlic, and oregano, undrained
1 14.5 ounce can vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 ½ cups tomato juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash of Chipotle chile pepper

Dumplings:
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

In a 3 ½- or 4-quart slow cooker combine onion, carrots, sweet pepper, celery, and garlic.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, tomato juice, lemon juice, sugar, and cayenne pepper and Chipotle chile pepper, and tomato paste if using.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 ½ to 4 hours.

For basil dumplings:
In a small bowl stir together flour, basil, salt, and baking powder.

In a small bowl combine egg and oil.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture.

Using a wooden spoon or heavy plastic spoon gently blend together until a soft, sticky dough forms.

If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting.

Drop dumpling dough by rounded teaspoons or a cookie scoop into 12 mounds on top of mixture in cooker, spacing mounds evenly.

Cover and cook for 50 to 60 minutes more or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of dumplings comes out clean. (Do not lift cover during cooking.)

Top with a few snippets of fresh basil in each individual bowl if you like.