Minestrone Soup

One of the new recipes I tried during Freezer Cooking Octoberfest was Pioneer Woman's Minestrone Soup. I have to say it was pretty fantastic! The vegetables stayed pretty crisp. And, even though it was frozen, it tasted pretty fresh!

The best part was that Shelby liked it! She saw Mama & Daddy eating their soup and wanted her own. With her bowl and spoon, she picked out the onions, carrots, and white beans! The absolute BEST part was when Scott tried to teach her to slurp up the broth! She didn't quite get the concept between suck in and blow out. The following video should explain everything!





Roasted Vegetable Minestrone
from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
■2 whole Zucchini, Halved, Cut Into Strips, Then Cubed
■2 whole Summer Squash, Halved, Cut Into Strips, Then Cubed
■8 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Stems Removed And Quartered
■2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■Kosher Salt To Taste
■2 Tablespoons (additional) Olive Oil
■2 whole Carrots, Washed And Sliced (not Peeled)
■1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
■3 stalks Celery, Sliced (leaves Included)
■8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
■2 cans Cannelini Beans, Rinsed
■1 cup (heaping) Cut Green Beans, Fresh Or Frozen
■1-½ cup Medium Or Small Pasta Shells, Uncooked
■1 can (14.5) Diced Tomatoes With Juice
■Salt And Pepper, to taste
■¼ teaspoons Turmeric (optional)
■Parmesan Cheese, Shaved

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Toss cubed zucchini, squash, and mushrooms in a bowl with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Arrange onto two sheet pans (to avoid crowding) and roast in the hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until brown and black parts begin to show. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery and stir to cook for 3 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.

Add cannelini beans and green beans. Cook on low for five minutes. Add pasta and cook for an additional five minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir, and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Check for seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and turmeric.

Add roasted vegetables at the very end. Stir and allow to simmer and heat for a few minutes before serving. Be sure to check seasoning! Add more broth if necessary to increase liquid amount.

Serve with Parmesan shavings and crusty Italian bread.