The veggie soup that cures all

Ryan's had a touch of a cold, which has prompted me to make several large batches of vegetable soup in the last week or so. It's thick, hearty, savory, rich, and healthy. Here's my recipe:

In a large pot, saute chopped vegetables, including onion, carrots, celery, garlic, zucchini, and squash, in some olive oil and butter; add a scant spoonful of sugar and cook until onions are translucent and other vegetables are soft

Add a packet of onion soup mix to the pot and some red wine; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine has all but evaporated

Pour in one large can of tomatoes, one or two cans of water (I use one can), and a chopped potato (or sweet potato); season to taste with salt & pepper

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes to two hours. Serve with bread.

Add ins: you can add bulk sausage to the veggies when sauteing, or dried beans with the potatoes, or a few ravioli just before serving.

Voila! Vegetable soup!