Fresh ramen, noodles is good...and doesn't taste as rich as the Italian oriented handmade pastas. However that stuff is wonderful too.

I wish I could easily replicate in writing his wonderful butternut squash soup variations --not a cream-based soup. We use vegetable stock, somtimes there's an apple or pear, sometimes curry, etc. Then all pureed and served with a dollop of yogurt.

I go simple and cheap at times..fishead soup stock (well hey, Lisa talked about her turtle meals in the crockpot thread. And 1 fishead is only 1 dollar.) with fresh noodles, bok choy or whatever Asian green veggies, or tomato with an egg dropped in and stirred quickly.