rip-off vegetable soup.

This only looks unappetizing because you haven't tried it yet, sucka!

For dinner one night during my recent camping trip, I had a can of Progresso vegetable soup. I thought it was pretty tasty and of course returned to civilization with a yearning in my belly for more tasty soup. It might have been easier just to go to the store and grab a can, but it occurred to me that soup would be the perfect way to use up my veggies before I travel this weekend and to make a dent in my stockpile of frozen vegetables before they get freezer burn. Yes, I really do have this problem.

Here is more or less what I came up with, though in retrospect I have eliminated about eighteen steps from the process. What's awesome about soup is that before I trave; tomorrow, I can freeze it and enjoy this soup again and again without having to eat it every day for two weeks. Soup is a miracle solution to the food waste issues of a single person.

Disclaimer: all measurements are complete approximations and should really be read as "to taste." I like my food uber-potent so that comes out here. Tone it down if you like your food bland and lame. See if I care! This soup is all about doing whatever you want anyways.

Rip-Off Vegetable Soup

1/2 box rotini pasta

1 can condensed tomato soup

2 tablespoons italian seasoning

~1 1/2 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock would probably work too) (this will make your soup so savory... seriously don't settle for water)

Whatever veggies you have about the house (I used 1 1/2 roma tomatoes, 4 red potatoes, about 1 cup each frozen corn and peas, and close to a cup of baby carrots) (Green beans would be good too)

salt and pepper to taste (remember: if you want to be a good cook, use some more salt; if you want to be a great cook, use a lot*) (pretty much with every step I just shake some salt on there)

1. Boil pasta. Toss in fresh carrots at the halfway mark.

2. Meanwhile, cook & strain your frozen veggies in a fashion pleasing to you.

3. Cook up soup and chicken stock and cubed tomatoes with italian seasoning in a big pot.
Use the stock instead of the water. Don't worry if it looks runny-- it will cook off a bit and the potatoes will eventually thicken it up. Yay starch!

4. Cook potatoes in microwave and cut into pleasant little chunks. Add potatoes and veggies and noodles to soup. Stir vigorously.

5. Taste your soup. You might add a 1/4 or so of Newman's Own Marinara sauce for more tomato flavor (any kind of tomato sauce would probably work). If it's not quite flavorful enough, add some more stock or salt or italian seasoning or whatever sounds good.

6. Crank your stove to high and boil until your soup looks hot and thick and so yummy.

7. Eat. Enjoy. Freeze your leftovers. Feel self-satisfied because for the cost of one can of soup you made yourself like, four cans. You show that recession who's the boss!


*Even Jesus talked about the merits of salt. Do not underestimate its power!