Hearty Minestrone Soup

This is some seriously fabulous soup! It's quick enough to throw together in 30 minutes, hearty enough to be good as lunch or dinner, and yummy enough to cure my Olive Garden cravings! But the best part is that my kids love it...all three of them!!! On any other occasion, my kids won't even look at half of the veggies in this soup. But with this recipe...they all eat seconds every time! If that doesn't make it a keeper, I don't know what will!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 cups chopped celery

5 carrots, sliced

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

4 cups tomato sauce

2 cans kidney beans, drained

1 can chick peas, drained

1 can green beans, drained

2 cans diced tomatoes

3-4 cups baby spinach, rinsed

3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 box seashell pasta

grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, chick peas, diced tomatoes, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 or 3 hours. The longer the better.

3. 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 desired amount of cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

{This version is modified from one I found on the web...the original recipe can be found here.}