Sausage Minestrone Soup

Steps

1.  In a large soup pot, brown the Italian sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Drain the fat.

2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.

3. Add the tomato paste, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and dried oregano.

4. Saute for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the can of Italian tomatoes and chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until all the carrots are tender.

7. Add both cans of beans, the zucchini, yellow squash, and dry pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

8. Simmer another 10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.

9. At this point, you can add another cup or two of chicken broth, if you feel like it's not "soupy" enough.

10. Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. I like to roughly chop mine so it's easier to eat, but you don't have to!

11. Wait about 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt, and then it's ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper. (I actually didn't add any! Sign of a killer soup, right?)

12. Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.

13. Follow the instructions through step 4. Pour everything into the slow cooker, then add the tomatoes and chicken broth.

14. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

15. Stir in the beans, zucchini, yellow squash, and pasta. Cover and turn the heat to high. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.

16. Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the spinach and cover another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

17. Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.