Bean and Pasta Soup #WordlessWednesday

Many of us here in the United States are feeling the full wrath of winter.  Some aren't even used to that kind of weather.

I can't make it stop but I can suggest something to help take the edge off, if your power is on.

SOUP.  Because, as an ad used to say, soup is good food. 

And anyone can make it.

One of my aunts had a dream:  One day, she would publish a soup cookbook.  She never accomplished it and has been gone for years now, but I remember what she told me. 

My spouse loves to make homemade soup.  This is one of his creations.  The great thing about this is that you can put in whatever is on hand.  And, it doesn't even have to be hot.  If it's summer for you, or if you are in a mild climate there is always cold soup.

Here's how spouse did this soup:  this is just a high level description but there are a lot of recipes online.

For the broth, spouse cooked a smoked ham hock in water, but you can use a broth from a retort. You can use vegetable stock if you are a vegetarian, and skip the meat altogether and just use beans.  He cooked dry beans but you can use canned.  There is no soup police monitoring your cooking.

Spouse then cooked beans and pasta separately.  He took the meat off the ham bone. He added kale from our front yard (fresh picked - it's all gone now), along with sliced carrots, sliced celery and whole wheat pasta.  I could see frozen or canned corn in this soup, or even frozen or canned carrots or frozen spinach or kale (just adjust cooking time).

Easy, right?  Serve hot - it's winter, after all.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for #WordlessWednesday.