Minestrone....Soups for a Great Fall!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped yellow onion

½ cup chopped carrot

¼ cup chopped celery

3 garlic cloves, chopped

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed

1 (14 ounce or so) can of diced tomatoes, drained

1 pound of freshly snipped and snapped green beans

1½ cups chopped zucchini

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cups cooked orzo

½ cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

(Photo courtesy of my kitchen...tee hee)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the onion,

carrot, celery, garlic, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes.

2 Stir in the broth, water, cannellini beans, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, and vinegar.

Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the zucchini is just tender about ten minutes or so. Check for the tenderness of the green beans also.

Stir in the orzo.

Top with the shredded Parmesan. Salt to taste