Minestrone Soup

I have been back in NJ for 2.5 years now and I am still not used to checking the weather in winter! Every time a snowfall is in the forecast, the nice school-bus driver informs me. He tells me this afternoon to check the weather tomorrow and call the school to make sure it's in session! After I learned this little tidbit, suddenly the air felt chillier. I noticed the sky to be a bit more gray than normal and I mentally prepared myself for the snow that is about to start falling. 6 to 9 inches I was informed!

Soup and snow go hand-in-hand. The comfort of piping hot soup in the bitter cold is unsurpassed by anything else. I tend to make more soups - different varieties- in the winter months. This Minestrone soup though is by far the most favorite in my house. Served with either a hearty grilled cheese sandwich or the "flatbread" pizza I made today, it is a meal in itself. It's filled with the goodness of as many vegetables as you choose to use, along with the protein-punch of kidney beans. So, without much rambling, here is the recipe for my (vegetarian) Minestrone soup!


Ingredients:

6 cups cleaned/chopped vegetables (I use broccoli, yellow and green squash, corn, spinach, carrots, green beans)
1 14 oz. can of drained and washed kidney beans
1 28 oz. can of petite diced tomato
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 medium chopped onion
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Shaved parmesan or mozzarella cheese to serve

1. Heat olive oil and saute onions and garlic until transluscent.
2. Add the seasoning and mix.
3. Add all the chopped veggies and mix.
4. Add the diced tomato and tomato paste.
5. Add 28 oz can of water.
   
6. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Let this mixture come to a boil. Cover and simmer on low until the veggies are cooked.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the preferred cheese and serve.

Here is what mine looked like:

Verdict: Kids ask, "what's for dinner, mom?" I say, "soup"! Their response, "YAAAAAAY"!!!! Need I say more??!! This time, I served this delicious and hearty soup with a "flatbread" pizza. I made the pizza with the store-bought naan. Top it with spaghetti sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice. I only added fresh basil leaves. Put these in the oven for about 8 minutes at 425 degrees. Cut and serve!

NOTE: Instead of the water, you can use vegetable stock. When home-made vegetable stock is used, the flavor is unbelievable! If I don't have home-made, I skip and just use water to avoid the gazillion milligrams of sodium in the canned varieties.