Minestrone

Total Time: 8 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 italian sausages, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes (diced)
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups water
• 1 (10 ounce) package spinach (optional)
• 1 (19 ounce) can red kidney beans
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 3/4 cup macaroni or 3/4 cup rigatoni pasta, uncooked
• parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese, grated

Recipe

• 1 saute the pepperoni/sausage, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and zucchini in a non-stick pan.
• 2 place the tomatoes, bouillon, water, spinach, kidney beans, basil, oregano, and wine into the crockpot and turn onto low.
• 3 stir.
• 4 add the sauted meat and vegetables to the crockpot and cook on low for 6- 8 hours.
• 5 approximately 1/2 hour before you're ready to eat, put the 3/4 cup of uncooked noodles into the crockpot and stir into the soup.
• 6 turn the crockpot to high for this last 1/2 hour.
• 7 if desired, sprinkle some of the grated cheese on top of the soup once it has been ladled into individual bowls.
• 8 (i grate the cheese into bowls and let everyone put as much or as little on they like).