Minestrone

Brrrrr..... It is SO cold outside! Makes me feel like soup! My favorite recipe this year is for Minestrone. Cody's parents always get this at Olive Garden and it looks so good! I searched the internet for one that our family would like and ended up combining several different recipes. I think we've got a winner! The kids LOVE this soup, too! They don't even mind that it's packed full of vegetables. Good kids we've got here!

Minestrone
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 pound each of gr. beef, gr. turkey and pork sausage (I brown a pound of each all together and then freeze the rest to use later...always thinking!)
2 c. celery
2 c. carrots
2 c. fire roasted tomatoes
2 c. tomato puree
1 can beef broth
1 package dry French onion soup
5 c. water
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. marjoram
salt and pepper
1 c. zucchini
1 pound hearty pasta (we like campanile)
1 can cannelloni beans (optional)

Brown meat and onion, set aside. Cook carrots & celery with tomatoes, broth, soup & water until tender. Add spices and zucchini and simmer while pasta cooks in another pot--just until al dente (still a little chewy or it will get mushy quickly).