Quick and easy

I still have stories to share with you from my trip to Romania, but I’ve decided to intercalate this short posting and a quick and easy Bean and Corn Tomato Soup recipe.  

Our computer desk has been falling apart for the past six months, but for some inexplicable reason we kept postponing getting a new one.  I think it’s called procrastinating or we just thought that it would get fixed on its own.  It’s really beyond my comprehension.  Well, last weekend we finally agreed to get a new desk and stop holding the keyboard on our lap every time we used the computer.  Oh, I guess that by now you’ve realized that we use a desktop instead of a laptop.  Yes, we’re kind of old-fashioned and we prefer a big boring desktop. 

Anyway, after a week of staring at the new box in the middle of the house, last weekend we got our energy up and were ready to install the three piece professionally looking furniture.  There was only one problem – the Euro 2012 was on, too.  No, we couldn’t miss the soccer matches especially since the so-called group of death of the Euro 2012 was playing on Saturday.  And so, one eye was reading the instructions booklet, one was on the nails so that we didn’t nail our fingers, one was on fastening the screws, and one was watching the soccer game.  All in all, it only took us seven hours to put together the computer desk while also watching the Euro 2012 soccer games.  Long story short, by dinner time I was so tired and my knees were bloody red that I was in no condition to prepare anything fancy.  In fact, we were so exhausted that we couldn’t even find the energy to go out to dinner.  Bottom line, I fixed a quick and filling Bean and Corn Tomato Soup.

In the end, we didn’t need anything more than this quick and easy soup.  It was the perfect fix.  This soup has a full-bodied tomato flavor and a bite from the red pepper flakes, while the corn and carrots add a hint of sweetness to balance out the acid from the tomatoes; and the beans and pasta make it hearty and rich.  We love this fantastic soup and I’m sure that it will become one of your all-time favorites in no time!       

Bean and Corn Tomato Soup

Adapted from Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves:  6 servings

Ingredients:

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 small onion, chopped

·         2 carrots, peeled and chopped

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

·         ½ cup frozen corn

·         1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce

·         5 cups chicken broth or water

·         ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

·         ½ cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)

·         Salt and black pepper

·         1 Tablespoon sugar

Instructions:

Warm the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrots.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the beans, corn, marinara sauce, chicken broth (or water), red pepper flakes, pasta and sugar, and stir well.  Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Season with more salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle into bowls and serve.  

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)