What's for dinner? That's easy, because when it's cold outside, the answer always is soup! That's what I made recently when it was coming down cats and dogs on Kalaniana'ole Highway. The puddles were so deep, the spray prevented me from seeing through the windshield. The more I drove through the blinding rain and the heavy traffic, the more my inner voice kept saying "go home."

But I just had to shop at the grocery store because another voice was saying "soup." I decided to make minestrone, the perfect meal on a cold evening. Two weeks before, I had tested another minestrone recipe and was not happy with the results. That recipe contained some great ideas, but it was too bland. One of the ingredients I had used for this recipe was fresh basil. Unfortunately, that rainy day I was unable to find it, so I picked up the next best thing, Gourmet Garden Basil Herb Blend. The plastic tubes of chopped basil were sitting next to the fresh herbs of Safeway's produce section.

You can always find a substitute. I used to tell my students in high school "food science" classes not to be afraid of trying new ingredients or a new technique. Even mistakes can lead to a new creation. Fortunately, many of today's products include spices and other flavorings. For this recipe, Italian stewed tomatoes contained just the right blend of herbs.

Make this soup tonight, and — unless you've got a huge family — you will have a meal that will last several days.

VEGETABLE MINESTRONE SOUP