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Photos by Ms. Jen with her Nokia N95 camera phone.

I am a big fan of the Thai Kitchen Spring Onion Rice Noodle Soup Bowl. Gluten-free, check. Dairy-free, check. Egg-free, check. Canola oil free, check. Takes only 3-4 minutes to make... Sign me up!

After I first found this little gem of Jenifer friendly food goodness at Trader Joe's a few years back, I would just make it by the package directions.  But ever since I have returned from Ireland, I have made it a meal by adding whatever complimentary veggies and meats that I have in the refrigerator and/or chicken broth if I have it on had.

Happy Spiced Up Thai Kitchen Rice Noodle Soup Bowl:

1 package of your fave flavor of Thai Kitchen Rice Noodle Soup Bowls (or any other instant noodle package, but I won't vouch for quality & gluten-free with other brands)

1/2 bowl (the plastic bowl that comes with the Rice Noodle Soup) of water

1 bowl (see directly above) of Chicken broth or veggie broth

All the packets of stuff that come in the Thai Noodle packaging.

Put all of the above in a pan on the stove that will fit plus room or find a big bowl and do it in the microwave. If stove, boil for 5 minutes. If microwave, nuke for 3 minutes.

As the soup is cooking, chop up whatever tasty vegetables and/or meat you have in the refrigerator that would be complimentary.

I like to use leafy green veggies: Bok Choy, escarole, spinach, kale, etc.

I also like to use pork (bacon or pancetta, pre-sauted/cooked), turkey or chicken leftovers, or cooked ground beef for extra protein.

Add the veggies and cooked meat to the soup, cook until boiling or the veggies are wilt-ish/ cooked to your taste.

Serve. Eat. Be happy.

Ms. Jen's steps for what to do with all those gorgeous late summer tomatoes that you were tempted into buying at the store or farmer's market OR a friend with a garden foisted off on to you... Make tomato cubes for later use when you need a burst of summer tomato-y goodness in a dish you are cooking.

Easy steps to fresh tomato paste cubes:

1) Obtain kick ass tasty tomatoes. Wash 'em. Dry em'.

2) Put a big pot of water to boil. Drop tomatoes in, watch, after minute or two the skins should be split. Use any number of kitchen implements to pull the tomatoes out of the pot and into a strainer without burning yourself. While wearing kitchen gloves, see part above about not burning yourself, peel off the skins of the tomatoes. Put in bowl or another pot.

3) When all of the tomatoes are nekkid and skinless, you have two choices:
Tomato Rustica: pop all of the skinless tomatoes in a big pot to fit, chop 'em up a bit with a wooden spoon or paddle, and simmer, stirring occasionally so they don't stick or burn on a low burner, until the tomatoes have reduced to thick paste. Simmering may take up to 3-4 hours.
OR
Tomato Sauce: wait for skinned tomatoes to cool. Slice in half. Scoop out the seeds, leave interior walls and other non-seed flesh. Chop up. Put in pot on a low burner, simmer until the tomatoes have reduced to a thick paste. Stir as needed. Simmering may take up to 3-4 hours.

4) Cool paste. Pour paste into a clean ice cube tray. Put in freezer. Freeze until frozen through.

5) Release frozen tomato cubes and store in a zipped freezer bag. Put back into freezer until you need some good fresh homemade tomato pastes for a sauce, stew, or soup when all the tomatoes in the store are winter dull. Pull out a cube or two and cook it up. Happily use until bag is empty.

6) Repeat Steps 1 through 5 next August or Sept.