Do you have those stray vegetables in your refrigerator? Or items in your pantry that have been there awhile (that haven't expired yet)? Then make some soup! Soup is incredibly forgiving, unlike baking. This cookbook is for home cooks and there are many substitution suggestions for ingredients that are hard to find.There are fifty-two different recipes, one a week for a whole year. This cookbook is divided into the four seasons and for each season there are thirteen soups. Many of the soup recipes fit into these seasonal themes. In the spring, there is Spring Posole, a lighter version of traditional posole. Some summer recipes, zucchini and green bean for example, are when summer vegetables historically became available. The fall season includes leftover thanksgiving turkey soup. In the winter, there are hardy stews, like beef and barley, for those long cold winter nights. This cookbook started out as a collection of vegetarian and vegan recipes. Recipes were then added for Terri's meat loving family and friends. Meat can also be added to virtually all vegetarian or vegan recipes, and in turn many meat recipes can be made vegetarian, removing the meat or substituting jackfruit or tofu.In the introduction, there are ideas for items to stock your pantry, which can be used in many of the soups. Most soups can be made in one hour or less. No one needs to be an expert to tackle these soups. This recipe book was a labor of love that took about fifteen years and involved many family members and friends. Terri feels very good sharing her soups and her recipes.These soups draw inspiration from common French cooking techniques such as sauté and puree, and ingredients and flavors from Native Americans, Mexico, Italy, Thailand, India, Korea, Vietnam, Spain, and Jamaica.The soups in this cookbook include short stories of their inspiration or evolution. Some of these soups are inspired by Terri's travels and her love of food from around the world, including her six months in Pakistan, multiple trips to Italy, and ten years living on a Native American reservation. Happy cooking!