I make a wicked Clean-Out-The-Fridge soup.
The day before, use whatever meat you have to make a stock, whatever veggies are on hand, whatever herbs are left in the garden, any bean/lentils lurking in the cupboard, and some kind of starch, be it potatoes, rice, barley, etc you might have. Spice to suit your mood.
If you don't have meat to make a stock, a prepared stock will do. But homemade tastes better.
Yesterday's version was a sort of mexican chicken, made with the carcass and left over bits of Sunday's roast chicken:
The day before, plunk the chicken carcass in the slow cooker, with a bit of pressed garlic, bay leaf, onion and perhaps some celery tops if you have them, water to cover. Cook all day. Let cool overnight, skim off the solid fat that has formed at the top. You now have a rich chicken broth. The great thing about a slow cooker is that you can go about your day while it cooks, no need to watch.
Back in the slow cooker, add another garlic clove, potatoes, tomatoes (if you have end of season green tomatoes left in the garden these are particularly good) celery or celery root. Add left over dry white wine if you have it. Let cook a few hours. Then add hot chiles, carrots and the left over roast chicken. And anything else that strikes your fancy. Season with your favorite mexican spices (I use penzey's adobo and/or fajita, and some extra mexican oregano). Cook until done. At the end, toss in some zuchinni.
Mighty good.
One pot slow-cooker soups are a great way to use up anything left over.
I seem to have too many peppers on hand, so tomorrow I'll probably do roasted red pepper soup (roasted peppers, shredded potato, leeks in a chicken broth - add cream if you fancy). Or maybe tomato... or minestrone...
Serve with fresh bread, a salad, maybe a cheese plate - and a nice bottle of wine.