Minestrone

My baby girl is now a wife and mother. Her baby is three years old and she's expecting one more in December, a Christmas baby. She's feeling kind of funky, what with the heat and morning sickness. Whenever I go to Phoenix to visit, I make a big pot of her favorite soup, Minestrone. It seems to be the only thing she wants to eat right now. So, here is the recipe, Honey.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 med. leek
1 small onion
6 cloves garlic
1 can kidney beans rinsed well
3 boxes of organic veggie broth
6 or 7 cups veggies, brocolli, green beans, zucchini, yellow neck squash, carrots, celery
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup elbow macaroni
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 head shredded cabbage
grated parmesean cheese
crusty sourdough bread

In large pot, heat oil on med heat. Slice leek down the center and remove tough outer layer. Rinse well and thinly slice up to green part. Chop onion. Add both to pot and saute for 2 or 3 minutes, or until tender. Add pressed or finely chopped garlic, salt and pepper and cook another minute. Add chopped and sliced veggies and stir till coated with oil, onions and garlic. Add can of kidney beans, rinsed. Add broth and herbs. Bring to a low boil and turn down heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until incorporated. Add macaroni and frozen peas and corn and cook 10 minutes, covered. Add shredded cabbage cover again and turn off heat, allowing cabbage to wilt. (5 minutes.) Serve with a sprinkle of parmesean cheese and warm crusty sourdough bread....Yum!