Recipe Name:	Instant Vegetable Soup My Way	Submitted by:	Samantha
Source:		Source Description:	Jacques Pepin by way of Megs
Ethnicity:	American	Last Modified:	1/4/2007
Base:	Vegetable	Approximate Cost:	$0.66
Course:	Entree	Comments:
Difficulty:	Easy
Preparation Time:	1-10 Minutes
Number of Servings:	4

Ingredients: 4 Cup(s) water 4 Slice(s) bacon 4 Cup(s) shredded choice vegetables 1 Cup(s) finely sliced lettuce or spinach

Directions: I adapted this recipe from Jacques Pepin's Instant Vegetable Soup recipe in his book Fast Food My Way. He uses plain water for his soup base. I tried it and it is good. But I found that 1 slice of bacon per cup water gives the soup a fuller, more flavorful taste. I left my bacon whole. When it was parboiled and released its bacon flavor to the soup, I removed it and crisped by cooking it in the microwave or skillet. The crispy bacon can be used as a garnish for the soup or use it for something else. Substitute chicken broth if you would prefer that to bacon. By the way, turkey bacon can be used or you can use ham. He also grates the vegetables to allow for fast cooking. I shredded my veggies with good results and a bit more texture. The recipe is suitable for Induction, OWL, Pre-Maintenance and Maintenance, depending on the vegetables you use. Put the bacon and water into a pot and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer. In the meantime, shred your vegetables. Bring the bacon water back to a boil and add the veggies. Simmer until the vegetables are soft. Remove the bacon slices. Add the lettuce or spinach and simmer. Serve hot. In a skillet or in the microwave, cook the bacon until crispy. Break into pieces and serve with the soup. Garnish with the shredded cheese if desired. For a cream of vegetable soup, puree the soup in batches. You may need to thin the mixture with water. Serve with the bacon and cheese garnish.