Herb Ravioli Soup

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium pot. Add onion and carrots and sauté until onions are slightly golden and carrots are beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Season vegetables with pepper. Add chicken broth to pot, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add ravioli to boiling broth-vegetable mixture and return broth to boil. Cook ravioli until tender to the bite. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the peas, oregano, and thyme. Season to taste with pepper and stir in parsley. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan. Variation - Japanese potsticker soup 2 T olive oil, 1 c diced peeled carrots, Fresh black pepper, 3 slices ginger (each ¼ in thick), 6 c chicken broth, 1 c frozen peas, 1 lb frozen potstickers, 2 T soy sauce, 2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 4 thinly sliced green onions, 4 oz mung bean sprouts (optional) Sauté carrots until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Season with pepper. Add broth and ginger to pot and bring to boil. Add potstickers and return to a boil. Stir in soy sauce. Cook until potsticker almost tender to the bite (2 to 3 minutes). Add frozen peas and cook 1 minute. Remove ginger slices. Season soup to taste with pepper and stir in parsley. Garnish with green onions and bean sprouts.