Minestrone Soup
(serves 6)

Ingredients
1/2 cup haricot beans
1 ounce butter
2 onions, chopped
2 ounce bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
10 cups water
6 beef stock cubes
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
4 ounce green beans
3 zucchini, sliced
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped finely
1/3 cup macaroni
2 tablespoons parsley
salt and pepper
grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Soak haricot beans overnight in plenty of cold water to cover. Heat butter in large pan, add peeled and chopped onions, bacon pieces and garlic. Saute gently until onions are transparent. Add water, crumbled stock cubes and drained Haricot beans and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered 2.5 hours.

Tail and slice green bean. Add beans, tomatoes, potatoes, celery and zucchini to simmering stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour.

Remove lid from pan and add macaroni. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top of soup.

Submitted By: Jen