Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2                    carrots -- peeled & sliced
                        fairly thin (2 to 3)
   1      medium        onion -- diced
   1      medium        potatoes -- diced (1 to 2)
   3                    cloves -- whole (3 to 5)
   3                    peppercorns -- whole (3 to 4)
   2                    bay leaves
   2      cup           beans of choice (soaked first overnight)
  28      Ounces        stewed tomatoes
                        tomatoes
   3      Tablespoon    dried oregano
   3      Tablespoon    dried basil
     1/2  cup           uncooked buckwheat -- optional and/or 1 c
                        mini-shell pasta, optional

Preparation:

Put all but the shell pasta (optional) in the crockpot. Fill it to the very top of the rim with water (doesn't have to be hot). Turn it on high for one hour to cook the vegetables until they are tender. Then turn the crockpot down to low, and cook until soup is flavored as you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like a spicy version, use cayenne instead of regular pepper. If you are using mini pastas, add them for the last half hour of stewing. Remove the bay leaf, peppercorns, bones, and cloves (or warn the folks eating the soup!). You can also adapt this recipe as desired to make soup from a leftover chicken or turkey carcass. Just dump it all in and add water to fill to the top. Try also, different spices (cumin, cilantro, etc..