Minestrone

With the coming of the cooler weather I have been craving soup. But I really didn't have a lot of recipes for soups so I've been doing a little research.  I came across this Minestrone recipe from Taste of Home and it turned out really great. Nobody's leaving the table hungry after this meal! Not only is it really hearty but this makes a huge batch. My family of 6 had enough to eat it for two meals.  This would probably freeze really well too if you didn't want to eat it all on two days back to back.

Ingredients:
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 c minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup canola oil
2 garlic gloves, minced
5 cups beef broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning OR basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1 can cut green beans
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked ditalini or other pasta

In a large stockpot, saute the onions, celery and parsley in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, Italian seasoning or basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Brown the beef and drain off the grease. Stir into the soup along with the zucchini, beans and pasta. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables and pasta are tender. Top each serving with cheese. Yield ~ 20 servings.

***You can also do this is a crockpot. Just brown the beef, saute the onions, garlic and celery. Then combine everything into the crockpot except for the noodles. Cook the noodles separately and add just before serving.