Minestrone Soup

Fall is soup time - I was going through my recipes and came across one of my very first soup recipes.

Minestrone

Ingredients

2 boxes of 32oz low salt chicken stock
2 cups of cooked pasta, i use mini shells, drizzle with olive oil once cooked and drained, toss and set aside
1 can of white kidney beans drained
1 can of red kidney beans drained
1 can of chickpeas drained
2 medium size zucchini's rough chopped
1 cup of shredded cabbage of choice
6 cloves of garlic diced
2 large carrots diced
3 stalks of celery diced
1 onion diced
1 parsnip diced
3 tomatoes, diced and seeded
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
2 table spoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large soup pot over medium high heat place the olive oil and garlic and saute until golden. Next add the onions, carrots, parsnips and celery, reduce heat to medium and saute until soft: about 10 minutes. Now all of the remaining ingredients with the exception of the tomatoes and pasta, raise heat, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. During the simmering some foam may form on the surface of the soup, just skim off during the cooking process. 5 minutes from the end of the simmering process add the tomatoes to soup. After the 25 minutes, remove from heat remove thyme sprig and bay leaf, add pasta, stir and serve.
I sprinkle fresh Italian Parsley on the top of the soup and serve with a nice crusty warm bread.

Enjoy cooking