Veggie Noodle Soup: Dinner in a Flash

I absolutely hate, hate, hate taking food photos with my flash on. But now that it's always dark when I'm at home on weekdays (and my photography skills are limited -- anyone have any tips?) . . . I'm just going to have to take at least a few awful food photos to share what I've been cooking and baking.

Thus, the DINNER IN A FLASH thing. Hah. Hah. Clever?

This soup makes use of 1 cup of the hubbard squash puree from this weekend's post. I'll admit -- at first I didn't think it was turning out very well. It smelled kind of metallic and weird. But I shouldn't even mention that! With a little salt and pepper (and cayenne pepper, my favorite), the end result was a tasty veggie noodle soup that I'm sure we'll make again on another cold winter's night.


What you'll need . . .

• 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth (this way, you control the salt)
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup hubbard squash puree (or pumpkin puree would work)
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
  
• 10 fresh basil leaves, sliced
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 3 to 4 carrots -- chopped thinly
• 1-1/2 cups tri-colored rotini pasta (or one-color -- whatever you have)
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

1. Whisk together the vegetable broth, water, and puree in a medium to large stock pot over high head. Bring to a boil.
2. Cook the onion and basil over medium-high heat until onions are glassy. Add to broth mixture (even if it's before it's boiling).
3. Bring boil down to a simmer and add the mushrooms, carrots, and pasta. Season with the cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
4. Cook until pasta and carrots are soft ("done"). Turn off heat and add canned kidney beans. Stir.
5. Serve alone or with a mozzarella cheese stick (that's how I ate mine!).

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