Minestrone Soup with Bread Sticks

Minestrone Soup with Bread Sticks

          This soup is one of my favorites because it does not have to have dairy to be wonderful. Parmesan cheese can be added but it is just as good without it. Amounts of ingredients can vary depending on what veggies you have and how much of them you want to use.

My ingredients list:

I can of Tomatoes

Zucchini (3)

Carrot (3)

Onion (1)

Garlic (2)

Celery (1/2 a stalk)

Potato (purple 5) and (sweet potato 2)

Purple cabbage

Lemon

Garlic powder

Onion Powder

Salt

White pepper

Oregano

 Basil

Thyme

Kidney Beans

Orzo pasta (a handful into the broth)

Red Wine (a splash for the pot, a splash for me)

Homemade chicken broth ( half of what your pot holds)

          I simmered the broth in our new, stock pot to start. I sautéed in a separate pan, onion and garlic. I used a special infused olive oil I got for Christmas from my dad. It was the basil infused oil tonight. I then added the carrots, zucchini, and potatoes. I added the pasta, kidney beans, tomatoes, celery, cabbage, lemon and wine directly to the broth without sautéing it first. I then added the sautéed ingredients. I brought the soup to a boil and simmered for a little over an hour. I added spices to taste.

          We added fresh bread sticks to the soup tonight by first warming the mixing bowl with warm water. Then dumping the water from the bowl and add 1 cup of warm water to one package of yeast. Add 2 ½ cups of bread flour. (Regular will do fine too). Put mixer on speed 2 until dough forms a ball and the hook kneads the dough for a minute or two. Oil the ball of dough and let rise for an hour. Set bread sticks on floured parchment paper and put directly on bread stone. (Or on a pan) 10 minutes.