Mama Mia! Minestrone!

A thick minestrone stew- perfect for cold days and bad moods.

Ingredients:

> 2 tablespoons butter

> 64 ounces broth, your choice (I used homemade turkey broth)

> 3 large carrots, chopped finely

> 3 stalks celery, chopped finely

> 1/2 white onion, chopped finely

> 2 tablespoons garlic, minced

> 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies

> 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

> 2 cups chopped green beans

> 2 zucchinis, diced

> 1 can red beans, juice in

> 1 can white beans, juice in

> 1/2 cup small pasta shells

> 2 teaspoons dried oregano

> 1 teaspoon dried thyme

> 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

> 1 tablespoon salt

> Optional: Asiago cheese & sourdough bread

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Directions:

> Make-a-tha-base! In a large, soup-y type pot, turn the heat to medium and melt two tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add your base: celery, carrots, onions. Cook for 8-12 minutes, or until tender.

> Once veggies are tender, stir in your garlic. Keep stirring until it's fragrant. Once fragrant, add in all of your additional chopped veggies (sweet potatoes, green beans, zucchini), spices (oregano, thyme, pepper, salt) and canned tomatoes. Stir well to incorporate. Once it's mixed well, add the broth.

> Turn to high and cover the pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn it down to a dull simmer and let it simmer for about one hour.

> After one hour, give it a good stir. Add in the beans and pasta, cut the heat, put the lid on tight and let it sit for another thirty minutes.

> Serve as is or with a little Parmesan on top. Voila!

* I love to have this meal with buttered sourdough on the side.