Pantry Cooking...

I was starving tonight...and didn't have a thing planned for supper.  I haven't grocery shopped since before Thanksgiving, and we are out of supper-able leftovers.  So, I turned to my well stocked pantry, intending on making tomato soup with pastina and white beans (a variation on a soup they make at work)...only to find that we are out of white beans (cannellini beans). 

Change of plans:

How about Mexican-style tomato soup with corn and black beans?

Cook up some pastina (I used star-shaped...maybe 1/2 cup?  It was the end of the box...) in a pot of water.  Pastina is tiny balls of pasta that are great in soups...or for when I'm sick.  Cook until tender and drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water.  Sweat half an onion and a clove of garlic, both minced, until tender and translucent.  Add 1 can of drained (not rinsed) black beans, add a pinch of salt, and cook for a minute.  Add one can of creamed corn, and one 28 oz can of tomato puree.  To the 2 cups reserved cooking water, add whatever bouillon you have on hand, I used a scant teaspoon of vegetable bouillon paste.  Add to soup.  Simmer until all components are warmed through.  Stir in cooked pastina, hot sauce to taste, a dash of apple cider vinegar, and a pinch (maybe a tablespoon?) of dried parsley flakes.  Bring to boil, thicken to desired consistency.  It's delicious with or without crushed tortilla chips on top!

What do you make when you rely on your pantry for a quick supper??