Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cooked rice (long grain i.e. "Uncle Ben's)
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (smooshed between your fingers)
• 1 (14 ounce) can water (make sure you get all the tomato out of the can, add up to 1/2 cup of water if needed, to thick)
• 1/2 small onion, grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, pressed and minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, kosher
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground (we love pepper)
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco or Cholula preferred, Optional!!)
• 1/4 dried herbes de provence (between palms of hand)
• 1 cup crouton (herb flavored)
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chifanod

Instructions

1. Please cook rice first. Or if you're lucky - you can use what is left over from the Chinese food you bought the other nite from the carryout.

2. In medium soup-pot, put in olive oil, turn heat up to med/high. Add onion, cook 1 minute. Add garlic. Swirl around soup-pot with spoon until garlic is fragrant. (about 30 seconds).

3. Smoosh tomatoes in bowl, with fingers, or use a sharp knife with a fork and dice if you don't want to use your fingers.

4. Add crushed tomatoes to soup-pot, along with rest of ingredients, down to additions.

5. Turn up heat to high, stir, and wait for a soft bubbly boil. When boil comes, cover, turn heat down to low, let cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Add rice.

7. After 10 minutes, stir in herbs de province, croutons.

8. Pour in warmed soup bowls, (run hot water in and around soup bowls for 5 minutes. prior to serving) add fresh basil to top.