White bean Kielbasa soup

Where other people have meatless Mondays, I'm most likely to serve a meat dish on Mondays when the committed vegetarians are out at activities.

I sautéed onion, carrot, and celery, then added the leftover flageolet white beans, kielbasa, tomato, and kale, and a cup of broth to thin it, for a simple rainy day skillet stew.   We added Tabasco at the table.

Tom Yum Soup

I find the about.thaifood.com site fairly dependable.  Though I'm happy to make Thai food with what's on hand, these are solid recipes that are a good framework.  

Vermont, having fewer people, has fewer thai restaurants than the San Francisco Bay area. So when I'm not in the mood to drive to or pay for amazing thai food, I make good thai food at home.

Tom Yum recipe at about.thaifood.com

My notes:

• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Better than Bouillion Vegetarian or Chicken
• 1/2 tsp. lime zest
• 2 stalks minced lemongrass,
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. minced ginger
• 1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1-2 tsp. Thai chili sauce, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili OR cayenne pepper
• generous handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce 
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• optional: handful of fresh basil
• optional: other vegetables of your choice: baby bok choy, bell pepper, green beans, etc.

Quick Tomato Soup

a version from memory, from the cookbook about quick dinners, which is still packed
For some reason, the kids like this better than Campbell's, and call it "homemade."

can diced tomato (organic from Costco)

chicken broth (used Better than Bouillon; can used vegetarian base)

boil tomatoes in broth to remove canned taste.

Puree with hand-held blender.

Add milk.

Serve with grilled cheese, or as side dish to meal.

Vegetable Soup with Pesto

Inspired by the Jane Brody Provencal Vegetable Soupe Au Pistou, in the Good Foot Cookbook, in a box of my still unpacked books.
Also inspired by Hamburger Soup that my mom used to make.

1 can organic diced tomato from Costco
1 zucchini
couple celery ribs
onion
Better than Boullion organic vegetable broth base

also good: leeks
also good: green beans
also good: potato

Pesto purchased from Healthy Living