Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

Bacon or Salt Pork (Diced)  1/4 cup
Onion (Chopped)  3/4 cup
Leeks (Chopped)  1/2 cup
Carrots (Diced)  3 - 4 cups
Turnips (Diced)  3/4 cup
Cabbage (Shredded)  1 cup
Celery (Sliced)  1/2 cup
Garlic (Chopped)  1/2 clove
Soup Stock,  2 quarts
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Potatoes (Diced)  1 1/2 cups
Peas,  3/4 cup
Macaroni, Broken in small pieces  1/3 cup
Tomatoes, Stewed or Canned  1 to 2 cups
Red Kidney Beans, home cooked or canned   1 to 2 cups
Parsley (Chopped)  1 tablespoon
Cheese, American or Parmesan, (Grated   1 to 1 1/2 cups

Instructions:

Cook bacon or salt pork slightly, ad onion, leeks, carrots, turnips, cabbage, celery and garlic.  Simmer about 5 minutes, or until soft but not browned.

Add soup stock and seasonings, boil gently about 15 minutes, ad potatoes and cook about 10 minutes longer.  Add peas and macaroni, cook 10 to 15 minutes or until peas and macaroni are tender.

Add tomatoes, kidney beans and parsley.

Just before serving, ad grated cheese, stir over low heat until cheese is melted. 

Makes about 8 servings.