Minestrone with a twist

Have I told you how much I love Italian food? Well, just in case you don’t know…I LOVE IT!! I would eat Italian food every day, but John just doesn’t seem to share my same passion.  

Instead of a new pasta recipe, which is probably what I would normally try, I decided I was going to try and make some really yummy minestrone soup. It is after all the best time of year for soup since it is -50degrees outside! I looked at several minestrone recipes, but decided that none really fit what I was looking for….SO, I came up with my own recipe. Here goes…

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage (you can use mild if you like)
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 3 large carrots diced
• 3-4 cloves of garlic minced (you can use the stuff in the jar that is pre-minced - in that case, just add a couple spoonfuls)
• A handful of fresh green beans - cut into about once inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I used Italian style)
• 1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1-2 tsp of dried oregano
• 1-2 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package of fresh cheese ravioli or tortellini
• 2 boxes of chicken stock
• Grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Brown beef and sausage in a large soup pot. Once browned, drain and rinse. Return to soup pot and add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, canned tomatoes, canned beans, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cover with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for at least an hour (if you have two hours, that is better--it gives the flavors more time to develop). Thirty minutes before serving, add in the tortellini, zucchini, and green beans. Check salt and pepper content and add more if needed. 

 

Doesn’t it look so yummy?!?! Well, it was AND it made a ton. I decided to freeze some for later. I think I will add this to my list of regular meals!