Yes, it is “lack of imagination” but many people can't improvise and have to have concrete recipe instructions or they end up with beans the same way forever.
I have long term storage beans from Walton Feed, good for 25 years. I set about getting every kind of seasoning I could to make those beans taste differently many ways and I had no recipe to go by - I just knew what to do. Then, thought of every kind of soup I could think of to put beans in and have the ingredients for those soups.
In past years, I was sort of a soup person, making up soups. When I made soup, my step-son always wanted me to call him so he could come get soup for his family.
I don't use water in soup as water has no taste. I use canned broth, chicken or beef or veggie according to the soup. If no cans of broth, use bouillon added to water.
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I agree. I too have used bullion. One of the things that my other Granny used at her restaurant was soup base. Very satisfactory results, and I always keep a year's supply on hand. Have you ever tried it? It is not liquid or paste, it has been dehydrated.
“I don’t use water in soup as water has no taste. I use canned broth, chicken or beef or veggie according to the soup. If no cans of broth, use bouillon added to water.”
Diluted tomato juice is a great base for many soups