Chop one large onion and five or six cloves of garlic. Sautee in olive oil in the bottom of soup pot until tender. Add three large ripe tomatoes, chopped, and cook over medium heat for ten minutes.

Add one 16oz. can of plain tomato sauce, about one and a half cups of chicken-flavored and/or onion-flavored broth (or hot water with instant soup mix added), and half a cup of milk or cream. Stir. Add two large carrots and two medium-sized parsnips, peeled and cut into one-inch lengths. Add another five or six cloves of garlic, whole, and a double handful of sun-dried tomatoes, halved or quartered. Simmer over medium to low heat until the carrots and parsnips are tender - about thirty to forty minutes. (Note: this soup is just about impossible to overcook, unless you really like your soup vegetables al dente.

While the soup is simmering, season with pepper, salt, lots of basil, a very little oregano, more instant soup mix to taste, and a few bay leaves. Add a squirt of lemon juice. Optional: About twenty minutes before you're ready to serve the soup, add a few good handfuls of thin noodles to the pot.

Serve hot with fresh bread or crackers. Add parmesan cheese if you like.