a delicious old bay-style vegetable soup

4 tablespoons butter or your vegan cooking oil of choice

1/2 onion chopped

2 carrots diced

2 celery stalks with leaves diced

1 6 oz (the small ones) can tomato paste

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 14 oz can broth

14 oz water

pasta as you please (I had farfalle, ~1/2 box)

1 14 oz can dark red kidney beans or your other favorite bean (drained).

spices:

parsley (a good sprinkling over top)

2 bay leaves

salt (not too much, you can always add more)

ground black pepper (lots)

curry powder (lots)

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Heat the oil on medium-high. Saute the onions, carrots and celery about ten minutes.

Add the tomato ingredients and heat through.

Add broth and water, kidney beans, spices. Heat through.

Add pasta. Bring to boil and let simmer, covered until the pasta is done - about 10 minutes.

Serve as is or with a nice hot sauce, oyster crackers, parmesan cheese etc.

You can include all kinds of other vegetables of course like potatoes, turnips, squash, spinach - but no need to go overboard. You can always make another soup later.

Anyway, it is delicious, especially when you eat it while watching James Herriot. If you have Netflix and like English things and animals, check it out!