Last week was cold and rainy. I don’t think the sun came out much at all.
Plus there was the time change which meant I left for work in the dark and came home in the dark.
This signals two things to me: A) I need to get out my Happy Light, and B) I need a comfort food soup to slurp.
I got this recipe out of my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.
I like this recipe because it’s easy and quick, but also because my kids will eat the parts of it separate from the soup. For instance I boil a few extra noodles to leave out of the soup for the boys. They will also eat some of the veggies if I leave them out of the soup. Everyone was happy and Eddie even declared it a “delicious meal!” when I served it.
If the four-year old thinks it’s delicious, you know you’ve won dinner time.
Minestrone Soup
Print recipeIngredients
- 3 14-oz cans of Beef Broth
- 1 15-oz can of red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 14.5-oz can stewed tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 11.5-oz can veggie juice
- 1 6-oz can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (crushed)
- 1.5 cups loose-packed frozen mixed veggies (like Italian blend)
- 2 cups cooked pasta (like medium shell macaroni or mostaccioli)
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves (cut into strips)
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine the beef broth, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, undrained tomatoes, veggie juice, tomato paste, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Add mixed veggies and reduce heat. Let simmer covered for about 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Stir in the cooked pasta and the spinach; heat through. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Serve with a little parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. | |
The recipe makes a LOT, so next time (yes, there will be a next time), I will probably only make half a batch. I like leftovers as much as the next guy, but it made a LOT of soup for two people.
