multiple personalities

i love tomato soup. sort of. straight out of the can, i think it's horribly boring, and i almost never eat it that way if i can help it. but it's a great starter for a yummy soup. toss in a little garlic powder and some basil, and you're on your way to yummy. add some spinach and pasta (or better yet, tortellini) and some beans (cannellini or kidney) and you're approaching a feast. or some cooked lentils with cumin and garlic (mmmm). or what i made last night, the "southwestern combo" which included the following*:

condensed tomato soup (duh)

onion

green pepper

black beans (canned, rinsed and drained)

frozen corn

chopped tomato

cumin

garlic powder

oregano

salt

pepper

cilantro

chili powder

tobasco

and lime juice

sometimes i add other veggies (broccoli, carrots, zucchini), but last night i was keepin' it simple, and simply delicious. needless to say, i always keep a few cans of tomato-y goodness in the pantry, just in case i need a soup-fix.

*amounts are done by eye, or by tasting, so i have no idea how much of what i put in - that's the fun of it!