Roasted Vegetable Minestrone

Baby it's cold outside and what better way to cozy up than with a big bowl of soup? I love minestrone soup. It's hearty and chock-full of vegetable. And it's one of the few non-cream-based soups that my daughters like. It's perfect for a weeknight meal. Voila! Dinner's served!

Roasted Vegetable Minestrone
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
2 whole zucchini, halved, cut into strips, then cubed

2 whole summer squash, halved, cut into strips, then cubed

8 ounces, weight mushrooms, stems removed and quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

2 tablespoons (additional) olive oil

2 whole carrots, sliced

1 whole medium onion, diced

3 stalks celery, sliced (leaves included)

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed

1 cup (heaping) cut green beans, fresh or frozen

1 1/2 cup medium or small pasta shells, uncooked

1 can (14.5) diced tomatoes with juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, shaved

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Toss cubed zucchini, squash, and mushrooms in a bowl with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Arrange onto two sheet pans (to avoid crowding) and roast in the hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until brown and black parts begin to show. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery and stir to cook for 3 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.

Add cannelini beans and green beans. Cook on low for five minutes. Add pasta and cook for an additional five minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir, and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Check for seasonings, adding salt and pepper.

Add roasted vegetables at the very end. Stir and allow to simmer and heat for a few minutes before serving. Be sure to check seasoning! Add more broth if necessary to increase liquid amount.

Serve with Parmesan shavings and crusty Italian bread.