Minestrone, homey.

We ate at Olive Garden recently and Dawn had the minestrone and commented she'd like to try making some at home.  I mentioned I've seen plenty of websites out there which clone the recipes from popular restaurants and in minutes, she'd found one for the minestrone.

It had a couple of questionable aspects which we altered (namely, not much in the tomato department, which was odd considering minestrone is a tomato-based soup usually).

It was fun to make, and delicious. We added on some pepper-jack grilled cheese sammiches, which of course, you should skip if on a diet.  Yeah, I know. But it was good! Stop looking at me like that and eat this good soup, dammit.

I'll give you the ingredients in groups, and you'll see why. It's OK to put all the ingredients from each group in separate big bowls.

Group 1: Veggies

• 1/4 cup minced onion (preferably white)
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• 2 Tbs finely minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 1/4 cup chopped french or green beans (frozen OK)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped zucchini

Group 2: MOAR veggies

• 4 Cups vegetable broth (Swanson, low sodium)
• 1 28oz. can low-sodium diced tomatoes (and juice)
• 1 14oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
• 1 14oz. can white kidney beans, drained
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 1/2 cups hot water

Group 3: Spices

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Group 4: Finishers

• 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, whole
• 1/3 cup uncooked small pasta, such as shells (we used tri-flavored elbow pasta. Whatever makes you happy. But 1/3 cup goes  along way.)

And of course...

Cooking:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot

2. Cook Group 1 veggies about 5 minutes (until onion is translucent)

3. Add Group 2 veggies, pouring in the broth last. Also add Group 3 (spices)

4. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes.

5. Add group 4, stir in, and simmer another 20 minutes.

Grilled Cheese Sammich:

If you don't know how to make a grilled cheese sammich, don't worry. I've hired Odlug Spleenripper, the notorious chaos marauder, to help:

1. GET BREDS
2. GET HOT ROCKS
3. GET CHEESES
4. GET BUTTERS
5. SLATHER BUTTERS ONTO BREDS AND ATTACH CHEESE
6. GLORY IN THE SOUNDS OF ENDLESS BATTLE
7. WASH HANDS IN HEARTBLOOD OF GAROK VAROKROKSENROK
8. Enjoy with minestrone, homey.

©Games Workshop 1987... ish