Foodie Friday: Zuppa!

I made a soup tonight based loosely on this recipe.  I didn’t add as much spicy stuff, but opted to let Tom and myself add Tabasco to our own bowls so that Abby might actually eat it (she did, but only because she wanted the fresh-baked bread that went WITH the soup tonight!).  This is a forgiving recipe that can easily take pretty much any vegetables you have on hand (Kale and potatoes would be especially tasty).  Enjoy!
Tomato Garbanzo Soup with Rice

• 4 cups chopped tomatoes (or 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice if it’s not tomato season).
• 3 cups water (only use 1-2 cups water if you use canned tomatoes).
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice (or 2 cups cooked brown rice, add at the end instead of beginning).
• 4 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1-2 t. Vegetable Better than Bouillon (or use homemade stock instead of water and bouillon ).
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups cooked garbanzo beans
• 2-3 cups cubed zucchini or other summer squash

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the tomatoes with juice and water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Mix in the rice, celery and carrots, and season with cumin, red pepper, bouillon, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice, celery and carrots are tender.
2. Mix the garbanzo beans and zucchini into the pot, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until heated through.
3. Serve with grated Parmesan and/or hot sauce at the table.