In a saucepan, add the onions, carrots, garlic, and other vegetables you have. Cook, stirring on medium-low, until the garlic and carrots soften a bit; careful not to burn the garlic. Add the can of diced tomatoes and the splash of vodka (or vermouth.) Let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding any cooked meat, if using, about half way through. You can also toss in uncooked pasta or couscous half way through. My soup thickened so I added a quarter cup of water to make it more like soup instead of stew, though stew would have been fine. Serve with a liberal amount of grated parmesan on top.