Souper Easy Spicy-ish Tomato Soup

I really just love this soup.  I’m not really sure where I got the original recipe, but it was a few years ago, and I feel like I’ve made enough changes to it that I can consider this my own.

It’s just the perfect soup.  It’s easy.  It’s delicious.  You can add whatever veggies you want, and you can make it as spicy (or not spicy) as you want.  It’s great paired with a grilled cheese or salad, but it’s also hearty enough on its own.  Trust me when I say that it’s perfect.

Start by peeling and chopping about three carrots.  I usually use baby carrots so I don’t have to peel them, but I had big carrots, so that’s what I used.  I guess that you could even use those shredded carrots that come in a bag if you’re feeling extra lazy.

Also, if you don’t like carrots, leave them out.  If you only like them a little bit, just add a few.  If you really love carrots, add some extra.  This part is totally up to you. 

Put some olive oil in a big pot and get it really hot.  Then put the carrots in the hot oil.  You want the carrots to start getting soft, which takes a while, and which leaves you plenty of time to…

slice up some onion!  If you really like onion, slice up a whole one (like I did).  If you don’t, then put less or leave it out.  Again, it’s up to you. 

Put the onions and some minced garlic in the pot.  I chopped up some marinated artichoke hearts, and added them too, because I bought a HUGE jar of them at Costco, and I needed to use them.  Leave them out if you don’t like them or don’t have them.  Add some other veggie if you want. 

Once all of the veggies are cooked, add a jar of marinara sauce (you know, the kind you use to make spaghetti).

Then, add a box of chicken stock.

Drain and rinse a can of cannelloni beans, and add them to the pot.  Oh yeah, white kidney beans are the same as cannelloni beans.  At least I think that they are.

Toss in a handful of some kind of teeny tiny pasta, and let it cook for at least 5 minutes or so. 

Once it has cooked, add some red pepper flakes.  Add as much as you want.  I just added enough to make it spicyish, as I’m a total wimp, but the Hubster added extra to the bowl that he and the Bunny shared. 

I didn’t get a picture of the soup in a pretty bowl or anything, because, well, I was extra sleepy, and had to hurry to get ready for work, but this soup is just too good not to share, even if I don’t have a fancy picture of it.

Oreo Treats (or whatever you want to call them)

I’ve made another great find on Pinteret.  They’re Oreo Rice Crispy Treats. Or Oreo Crispy Treats. Or just Oreo Treats.  Anyway, whatever you call them, they are just like Rice Crispy Treats, but made with crushed up Oreos instead of Rice Crispy cereal.  They are just as good, and just as easy to make, but just something a little different.  All that you need to make these is a pack of Oreos, 5 cups of mini marshmallows, and half a stick of butter.  Oh yeah, some Pam (or other nonstick spray) would be a good idea, too!

Start by melting half a stick (4 tablespoons) of butter in a large pot.  I guess that you could use some kind of fake butter if you have to, but why would you want to? 

Then, put the Oreos in a zippy-top bag (yes, I just used "zippy-top"), and zip the top. 

Apparently, some stores (like the Dollar General, where we got these Oreos) carry some products in weird sized packages.  Who knew?  Anyway, if you just get a regular sized package of Oreos from a regular grocery store, you will probably have to use a bigger zippy-top bag. 

 Then, use a rolling pin, and really beat the heck out of the Oreos.  You could also use a food processor, but that wouldn't have been as much fun.

 Once the butter is melted, add the 5 cups of mini marshmallows.

 Stir them all around, and let them melt completely.

I don't have any pictures of the next part, because it had to happen pretty quickly, I only have two hands, and I had a toddler wrapped around my legs, but pour the crushed up Oreos in the pot, and stir it all up.

Then pour it all in a well greased pan.  I used a round pan because 1. it was the first pan I grabbed, 2. it doesn't take up too much space in my dish washer, and 3. my Oreo mixture was lacking some volume (due to the weird sized package of cookies), and I didn't want my treats to be too thin.  That being said, use whatever kind of pan you want. 

I also want to add that I wish that I had crushed up my Oreos a little bit more.  They still tasted great, but I'm sure that it would have improved the texture.

Slice them up, and enjoy!