Killer Minestrone (pictured)

I have said many times that the crock pot is my best friend. This is especially true in law school when I have only a 2-hour window on Mondays and Wednesdays to drive home, cook dinner, and drive back to school in time for my 8pm class. One of my tried and true crockpot recipes is my minestrone soup, which is just so satisfying on a cold and rainy Portland day. And to top it off, Tom loves this dish so I am willing to share it with my friends, many of whom also have a very busy schedule.

Ingredients:

1/2-1 onion

2 zucchinis

1 can white beans

1 can diced tomatoes

12 oz. spicy Italian sausage (comes in a tube)

1 cup cooked macaroni elbow (medium-sized)

1 box of thawed and drained chopped spinach

1 box of vegetable broth

Spices: Italian seasoning & garlic powder (optional)

Steps:

1.  Brown sausage with no oil, and drain (Viva paper towels work the best!)

2. Cook macaroni and refrigerate.

3. Chop onions and cube zucchinis.

4. Mix all the ingredients in your crockpot, except the macaroni.

5. Cook on Low for 6-10 hours.

6. Microwave macaroni and mix it in the soup.

7. Serve with sprinkles of fresh (not grated) parmesan cheese!

Tip: I usually do steps #1-3 the night before so that all I have to do before school is mix all the ingredients together and turn the crockpot on. Bon Appetite!