Minestrone Soup

Tonight's dinner came from an old recipe from my grandma. I wish she were still here, as I know we would have a blast together talking about cooking! She cooked for years for her family of 7. This soup recipe of hers is pretty simple, thrifty, and hearty!

Minestrone Soup
Printable version here

4 slices bacon, chopped
½ cup diced onions
2 ribs celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil (or Italian seasoning)
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth (or 2 cups)
1 (11 oz.) can bean & bacon soup
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
½ cup small noodles (any kind)
1 medium zucchini, diced

1. Cook bacon, onion, and celery until vegetables are softened. Next add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add dried basil, broth, bean & bacon soup, 1 1/2 empty soup cans worth of water, and can of tomatoes; bring to a simmer.

3. Add noodles; when halfway done add zucchini and cook until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Why I love it? Well I'm attached to it because it's from my grandma, but other than that, I like that it's pretty healthy, quick to make, and just different from all my other soup recipes. It's also adaptable- you can add other ingredients, change the amounts, etc.