Cooking with Rachael Ray - Hearty cool weather 'Stoup'

http://onelifetoeat.com

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 medium sized potato, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium sized white onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh or dried parsley or 1 tbsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary (whichever you have at home)
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 packet of baby spinach salad, or equivalent amount of kale
• 1 (28 oz) can of fire roasted tomatoes, or a can of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 roasted red pepper (get it pre-packaged from the grocery store), well drained and finely chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Any shredded cheese you like
• Any crusty bread to go with the soup.

Method:

Heat the Olive oil in a large pot and add in the sliced onions and potatoes. Allow to cook until they are lightly brown and soft. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and herbs.Add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Add the stock and bay leaf, bring to boil, then wilt in the greens. Then add the tomato and the pepper. Mix well, allow everything to simmer together on medium to low heat for about 8-9 minutes.

In the mean time, prep the bread the way you like. You could slice up the bread thick, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toast it or broil it in the oven. If you're feeling indulgent, sprinkle some cheese on each slice, and place back in the oven to let the cheese melt.