#10 Italian weekend: Minestrone

I love soup. Of course I wouldn't let  the week end without making a delicious Italian soup! Sunday night was the perfect night. Lately we've been enjoying warm November nights here in the South Bay, but Sunday was so chilly! So we made the classic Minestrone to warm us up.

Ingredients:

2 tbsps. extra olive Oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 stalks celery, diced

3 carrots, diced

1/3 pound green beans, trimeed and cut into small pieces

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

salt and pepper

1 can crushed tomatoes

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 cup pasta

grated parmesan cheese

2 tsbps. chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and sauté onions until translucent, then add the garlic.

2. Add the celery and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and dried basil, salt and pepper to taste, cook for 3 minutes.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth and bring it to boil. 

5. Once boiling,  reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta until pasta is cooked.

7. Add more salt according to taste.

8. Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil before serving.

Sunday nights are very mellow for us. We loved the soup, and after dinner, we enjoyed reading more about Italy. I pointed it's location in the European continent. We read the news about the flood in Venice. She also saw many beautiful pictures of the city. I pointed at something in the picture and said, "Look at those little boats".."Gondola, Mom", she corrected. :) We read more about the remarkable architecture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and learned that during World War II, it was used by Germans as an observation post. A US Army sergeant, sent to confirm the German troop's presence, was so enamored with the beauty of the Cathedral and the tower, that he refrained giving orders to strike to spare it from destruction. :)
It was a great weekend. We enjoyed immersing ourselves in a healthy Italian diet, and most importantly, learning more about the beautiful country.

She predicted  that the Leaning Tower of Pisa will be straight when we visit someday. ^__^

Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger for the Food Network Magazine.