No Aroma says Sunday Like Soup simmering

My mother did it and I do, too.  I toss leftover vegetables into a container in the freezer. When dinner is over there's always a smidge of peas, 2 spoons of carrots, a scoop of mashed potatoes, half cup of cauliflower or a cup of beans.  I could toss them, but it seems wasteful.

My Mom used Tupperware; I use a large yogurt container and various Ziploc bags. Mom's was called 'Soup Surprise'; mine is called 'Mystery Soup'. Note: Save meats separately.

When the vegetable container is full it’s time for soup or a hearty pasta with vegetable sauce.  Bear in mind that a hearty soup needs more substance than just broth and vegetables: a can of diced tomatoes, potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Sassy Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:

1-2       Tbs extra virgin olive oil, butter or oil of choice

1          Small onion chopped

1          Clove garlic smashed

1          Tsp cumin

1          Tsp coriander

1/2       Tsp ginger

3          Cups chicken or vegetable stock or water with 2 dissolved Knorr bouillon cubes.

3-4       sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1          Lb bag of carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1          Container of ‘Mystery Soup’ vegetables.

Directions:

1. Sauté onion 1 minute; add garlic and spices and stir 1 minute more.
2. Deglaze pan with a splash of vermouth, or any item in step 3.
3. Add stock or water and bouillon cubes. Stir well to deglaze pan completely.
4. Add chopped sweet potatoes and carrots and simmer till al dente. (Note: you can substitute all carrots or all sweet potatoes if you prefer)
5. Puree potatoes/carrots using immersion blender or in batches in regular blender
6. Add ‘Mystery Soup’ vegetables whole or cut into small pieces.
7. When soup comes back to boil, turn down to simmer for 10 more minutes stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
8. Salt and Pepper to taste.
9. Garnish with dollop of yogurt or sour cream or chives.
10. Serve with garlic or pesto toast.

Servings 4-6. Prep/cook time: 35 minutes