Vacation Soup

Vacation Soup

I call this soup "Vacation Soup" for a few reasons:
1) It's easy to make when you're on vacation.
2) It's a good vacation from heavy, rich food, but still substantial.
3) It's a great vacation for a cook who doesn't feel like cooking.

It's super easy and super quick to make, only requires 3 ingredients - including water- and can be made in a hot pot type appliance in a college dorm, military barracks, or hotel room (fire code permitting, of course!)

We eat this soup a lot when we are on vacation - it's easy to make in a kitchenette, and doesn't require a stocked pantry. At the end of a long day of visiting or sight-seeing, it's easy & fast & satisfying. And, we all like it. A lot. We serve a plate of  fresh veggies & olives alongside to make a complete meal.

I was inspired to make this when I visited a family member in a nursing home, and saw that the residents were routinely passing up the regular fare (which looked quite good) to order a soup like this one. It made me think of one of my Mom's old standbys. The first time I served it, my little daughter asked if I might schedule it into our menu for every Monday from now on!

Here's the recipe:

Vacation Soup
1 liter (or one quart) of boiling water
2 large cubes of Vegetable Bouillon (such as Maggi or Knorr)
1/2 pound (1/4 Kilo) of Fideo type Pasta (if Fideo is unavailable, break Angel Hair into 1" pieces)
Simmer for about 7 minutes, or till pasta is done the way you like it .

Serve. (Some like to add a dash of lemon juice to taste at the table)

Variations: Add your favorite frozen vegetables or dried mushrooms to the boiling water before adding the pasta. The pictured soup includes Broccoli & dried Shiitake Mushrooms - I cut the Mushrooms into bite-sized pieces with kitchen shears just before serving. (But, we most commonly eat just the noodles and broth without the veggie additions.)

Tip for dining with Omnivores: Add diced cooked chicken before serving, or serve a cold cheese, salami & cracker tray alongside.

This is being shared at:
The Art of Homemaking Mondays
 What'd You Do This Weekend
Penny Pinching Party
Motivation Mondays 
Simple Saturdays 
Kid-Friendly Recipes