Creamy Tomato-Balsamic Soup

Creamy Tomato-Balsamic Soup(Adapted from CL)

1 cup beef broth, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 500°.

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.

Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Be careful if you have a smaller blender, you may want to do this in batches so it does not overflow. Serve with a sprinkling of cracked pepper.