Creamy Tomato Soup

My Hunney has the best job ever!  He works at a local university doing computer systems.  Why would that be the best job ever?  Because he supports the dining services part of campus... which means... He has access to the caterer's recipes.  Which means, if I am willing to scale down a recipe (from 60 gallons to 1 gallon and figure out how much .17 lbs of carrot or .035 of a #10 can is) I can make a host of delicious, decadent, FREAKING AMAZING meals.  Which means, YOU, my FRIENDS get some awesome recipes!

I present my scaled down recipe.  Check the fine print for the healthy substitution...

Creamy Basil Tomato Soup 
(as featured at the AF East Women's Conference... cooked by said local university's catering group...)
2 1/2 Tablespoons margarine
5 1/2 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 small onion chopped
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 carrot (5 baby) finely chopped
15 oz can peeled finely diced tomatoes
24 oz tomato paste
3 3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken broth granules
1 1/2 cups cream (or evaporated low fat milk)
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon basil flakes (fresh use 2 Tablespoons snipped)

Melt margarine in a microwaveable bowl.  Stir in the flour and the cornstarch until smooth.  Mix in the 1/2 cup water to make a slurry.  Set aside.  This will thicken the soup.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot.  Saute the onion, carrot, and garlic over medium heat until they are tender.  Stir in the flour slurry and 3 3/4 cups water.  Cook for 5 minutes stirring every minute to avoid lumps.  When the soup has thickened,  reduce heat to low.  Add  tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth granules, cream, salt, pepper, sugar and basil.  Heat to 170 degrees.

Serve warm with a salad and a roll.

I forgot a picture again.  As soon as my family will let me cook this again (I didn't scale it small enough the first time and made 2 gallons worth  CAN YOU SAY LEFTOVERS...)  I will upload one.