La Soupe à la Surprise! (surprise soup...)


It just wasn't going to happen.  Dinner...that is.

The kitchen was looking sparse, time managed to sneak away from me and meal planning took a backseat to all of the other planning needs that demanded priority.



Temptation was knocking around like a sneaky little devil.  We could run out and get a dinner that falls in the category of "fast food".

We could order in something that again falls into the category of "fast food".

Or...I could flick that pesky little devil off my shoulder and resort to my stand-by-last-minute-dinner-desperation-decision...

...soup.

Polly was greatly amused at my indecision in the kitchen.  Order out?  Eat in?  Order out?  She nestled herself on her favorite blanket, tucked her sweet little paws in, and was entertained by my little dance with the devil whispering temptations from my shoulder!





I had an onion and some garlic begging to be used.  I had a can of "fire-roasted" tomatoes, frozen corn, and some really sweet pretty little pink lentils.  I do enjoy looking at them in my pantry glass jars, but I should probably actually eat them.

One staple that is always in the pantry, thank goodness, are cans of broth...chicken, beef, and vegetable broth.

"Really Sarah," I chided myself "how much effort does it take to open a few cans and pour them into a pot of broth?"

When asked what is for dinner...it will be titled ...

"Soupe à la surprise"

or...

"Fire Roasted Tomato, Pink Lentil, and Fusilli Pasta Soup"...there, does that sound a little bit more gourmet?






All family members were fooled.  All thought I could juggle balls in the air and simultaneously ladle out a delicious, hot, healthy bowl of warming soup.

I noticed with a wry smile that this clan is easily fooled.  Let's just say that as they were happily slurping away, I was entirely amused...or should I say "surprised"...hence...

...Soupe à la Surprise!!



La Soupe à la Surprise!  (Fire Roasted Tomato and Pink Lentil soup with Fusilli Pasta)

1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS olive oil
1 32 fl oz. box or can of chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 15 oz. can of fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of frozen (or fresh!) corn
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup pink lentils
2 TBS herbs de provence (mixed chopped herbs)
1 cup of fusilli pasta
Salt and pepper to taste


Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a Dutch oven on the stove top.  When hot, add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.

Pour in chicken broth and bring liquid up to a simmer.  Add can of tomatoes, black beans, lentils, and herbs.  Bring soup up to a boil for 5 minutes.  Turn heat down to simmer for 20 minutes.

Shortly Before serving, add fusilli pasta and corn.  Salt and pepper the soup to taste.  Heat until pasta is cooked.  Ladle soup into bowls, shave big slivers of parmesan cheese onto soup and toast thick slices of whole grain bread.  Enjoy!

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