Add coconut oil, garlic, and onion to a large pot with sides are at least 4-inches deep. Cook on medium until the onions are translucent. Add the beef bouillon dissolved in water along with the basil, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Cook for a minute or two.
Pour in the V8 tomato juice and stir. Bring to a low boil and add the butter. Stir. Reduce the heat slightly to a low boil.
Dumplings
In a medium bowl, combine flour and Crisco, cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender, until lumps are the size of peas. Stir in the milk and ½ cup cheddar with a fork just until all the flour mixture is moistened. Don’t overwork or your dumplings will be tough.
Using two spoons, drop the dough into the almost bubbly tomato sauce. When all the dumplings are dropped, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the dumplings, cover the pan with the lid and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
Don't lift the lid before 15 minutes. Don't stir, the dumplings are delicate.
To serve, use a large ladle to dip out the dumplings, spoon tomato soup over them.