Minestrone, by ME!

 

My husband is coming home today after being gone most of the week. I wanted to surprise my him with dinner, but I also wanted to use the crock pot. I started by searching my food emails for crockpot dinners that I was

a- interested in eating and
b- had all the ingredients for!
I found THIS minestrone recipe and was inspired!

However...it seemed to me that recipe was lacking ingredients from minestrones I have had before. Off to Pinterest I went in search of more ideas!
And that's where I found THIS recipe!

buuut that seems to cook faster than a crockpot allows. HMM.
And so I present, my own minestrone recipe, and goodness I hope its tasty! LOL!

1 15 oz can kidney beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
4 cups broth (I used 4 crushed chicken boullion cubes and 4 cups water, microwaved for 3 minutes)
1 cup water
2 carrots, grated
2 celery stalks, minced
1 zucchini, minced
1/3 cup minced green beans
dehydrated onion
3 tbsp olive oil
basil
salt
pepper
oregano
thyme
parsley
minced garlic
onion powder
1 1/2 cups small elbow pasta
baby spinach

I put most of the ingredients (everything but the pasta and spniach) into the pot to cook on high heat for about an hour, and then low heat for three more hours. Then I turned it back to high (my crock pot only has two settings) tossed in the pasta and spinach til softened, which took about 20 minutes. We sprinkled Parmesan and cheddar cheese, and serve with a slice of bread and you're set! YUM!

The four of us ate and I had enough left over to set aside two lunches for my husband and I'm pretty sure there's plenty for still another nights' dinner!
(oregano at the top, then going around like a clock: thyme, parsley, basil, sea salt, and onion powder in center)

just LOOK at all those fresh veggies, ready to go into the pot! (I prepped these all the night before becuase I knew I wouldn't have time in the morning!)