MINESTRONE SOUP

I love soup, yep, that's right I love soups.  I made this delicious hearty minestrone soup and we ate it for a few days.  So good, so filling and great for the cold weather of Maine.  The directions suggest making it and freezing 6 cups for later.  I didn't do that, we ate the soup until it was gone.......................that didn't take all that long either.    I found this recipe in my December 2013 issue of 173 Comfort Food Classics Taste of Home Heartwarming Soups!   

Go to taste of home and check out the recipe. 

PRINT RECIPE

1/2 cup chopped celery ( I used chopped leaves and all)

1 pound of ground pork 

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 (28) ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 (16) ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15) ounce can of garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained   (I used great northern beans)

2 cups tomato juice

1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce

1 can (14 1/2) beef broth

3 medium carrots, chopped or sliced ok go ahead and add 4

1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1 TBSP Italian seasoning    I also added 1/2 tsp dried basil and 1/2 tsp oregano

1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp pepper

Additional ingredients for each batch

1/2 cup water 

1 cup uncooked ziti or small tube pasta  (cook but add to each soup dish when ready to serve)

In your dutch oven cook the pork, celery, onion until no longer pink.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Drain.  

Add the remaining ingredients to the drained meat and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender.     

If you are going to freezer the 6 cups of this soup, remember to add the 1/2 cup of water and the pasta when you get ready to use this from the freezer.  You can freeze for up to 3 months.  

I didn't freeze the soup so I added the 1 cup of water.   I cooked the pasta separate and added to each bowl when serving.  I heated the pasta up in the microwave oven.    I have found that if you add the pasta to the soup and when you store the leftovers in the refrigerator that the pasta soaks up the liquid and the pasta is mushy.   

                                                 old-fashioned-buttermilk-cake

                                                      Happy Easter everyone

sharing with
shakentogetherlife    designsbygollum    mizhelenscountrycottage