Uncle Bill's Light Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 8 cups water
• 4 tablespoons chicken soup base or vegetable bouillon cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, chopped small

• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, include juice
• 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally 1/8 inch thick
• 1 large yukon gold potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
• 1/3 cup small shell pasta
• 3 large celery ribs, cut ino 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen tiny peas

Directions

1. 1

   In a large cooking pot, add broth, water and chicken soup base and bring to boil.

2. 2

   In the meantime, in a frying pan on medium-high heat, melt butter, add onions and saute for 5 minutes or until translucent.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes and cook until reduced and sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes; set aside.

4. 4

   To the cooking pot, add carrots, potatoes, garlic, white pepper, salt, chili powder, hot red pepper flakes, dried dill weed and pasta and cook until pasta is el dente, about 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Add onion/tomato sauce, celery and tiny peas and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Adjust seasonings to taste.

7. 7

   Serve soup hot.

8. 8

   Refrigerate any unused portions.

9. 9

   You can use all water instead of chicken broth or vegetable broth. Use 1 vegetable bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon of chicken soup base for each 2 cups of water.

10. 10

    You can also use a small penne pasta of your choice, or pearl barley, macaroni or basmati rice instead of small shell pasta.