Recipe for quick soup
 

To do my part to stay on topic, I offer this very quick, got-no-time-
to-cook, recipe for bean soup. Like all bean dishes, it tastes better
the next day or two. This could be made from scratch, too, I reckon,
with a few adjustments, but this recipe is the quick and dirty
version.

2 - 15-oz cans white beans (navy, cannelini, et cet.), drained
2 C. broth - your choice, whatever's on hand
2 C. water
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tsp (or more, if you like) crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 carrot, small dice
1 rib celery, also diced small
1 potato, peeled, small dice - leftover baked potato is good, too
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 tsp thyme (or a blend of savory herbs)
1 or 2 Tbs olive oil (I prefer the extra virgin stuff)

Drain the beans, but don't rinse; set aside while you get the rest of
the stuff going.

Put the broth and water on to heat with the bay leaf, herbs and
pepper. Bring to boil, immediately reduce heat to simmer.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onion, carrot and celery
and crushed garlic. Saute until carrot is tender crisp and onion
soft, maybe 5 minutes, maybe less time depending on how you define
'small dice.'

Okay, dump (no fancy cooking terms here, folks) all the other
ingredients into the simmering broth-water. Increase heat under the
pot to bring contents to a cheerful bubble stage (I don't know...hard
simmer?) and let cook for about 20 minutes more.

I like to make fontina cheese toast to serve with this: use your
favorite bread, brush on a bit of olive oil, top with fontina, broil
until it's as brown as you like it.

If your kitchen is clean (mine...not so much, usually) and your pantry
is well-stocked, this dish can be ready to eat in 30-35 minutes from
the time you start to serving it up. Sometimes, it takes me a little
longer.

I added leftover meat loaf to this recipe once...not bad.

BTW, I googled knobby apple cake and found the recipe.
Martha