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Jamie's Ministrone Soup
by Liz McNulty
serves: 8
  Ministrone Soup
Ingredients:
  3 tbs   olive oil
  3 cloves   garlic, chopped
  2   onions, chopped
  2 cups   celery, chopped
  5   carrots, sliced
  2 cups   chicken broth
  2 cups   water
  4 cups   tomato sauce
  1/2 cup   red wine (optional)
  1 cup   canned kidney beans, drained
  15 oz   can green beans
  2 cups   baby spinach, rinsed
  3   zuchinis, quartered and sliced
  1 tbs   chopped fresh oregano
  2 tbs   chopped fresh basil
  1/2 cup   seashell pasta
  2 tbs   grated Parmesan cheese for toppin
  1 tbs   olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
  In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zuchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, the longer the better.

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.

Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through, place 2 Tbs cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and top with parmeasan cheese and spray with olive oil.

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optional directions for bigger batches

In large crock pot (or two) combine first 8 ingrediants. Cook on high heat for 2 hours. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach, zuchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 203 hours longer.

Before portioning into freezer bags, add the cooked seashell pasta

Portion soup into gallon size freezer bags or 4 medium plastic contaciner allowing 1/4 inch head space at top.

Label bag. Freeze.

When ready to cook. Thaw, heat through, top with Parmesan cheese.