Meghan's Minestrone

It's fall...and that means more soups! I love a good soup. So much so that I once started a "soup only blog". I decided early on to merge the two blogs and just include soup here in the Friday Friend Blog, so that I wasn't doing double duty in trying to keep up.
I suspended the "Ahhh SomeSoups" blog, but I like the name, so I'm keeping it.
In honor of autumn, I am bringing back, or reintroducing my favorite soup from the Ahhh SomeSoup blog.

BUT FIRST.....if you read my last post, you know that I'm busy now going thru my mom's old cookbooks, after having absconded with them the last time we visited.
She has one: Casual Entertaining (one in the Better Homes and Gardens series circa 1980).
I love to entertain, so I thought this one would be a great resource, and I suppose it is. But... it's funny. I know it's all true, but....

Your schedule is the key to being a collected and organized host or hostess. Plan a realistic timetable that accounts for everything that needs to be done. Write it down and post it in an obvious spot so you can refer to it often, especially if you're counting on other people to help with part of the work.
The major tasks to accomplish include shopping, cleaning and decorating the house, preparing the food, and getting yourself dressed for the party.

Seriously? I have to clean? Dang it. And decorate? AND get myself dressed for the party?
I thought the title of the book was "Casual Entertaining?" But you know it would be bad...very bad... if I didn't get myself dressed.

You might be wondering why I went off on an "entertaining" rant.... well because. Because every winter I have a party and invite all my friends to bring either a soup, bread, or dessert. We call it our "Soup Supper" (we're very original around here). I'm EXCITED!! Instead of a 'wine tasting", it's a soup tasting.
It doesn't take much to make me happy. A little soup, a little bread and friends.

On to the recipe!
If you want to see the original full tutorial go to the original blog here at
"Ahhh SomeSoups".


Meghan's Minestrone

Sent in by my sister in law, Meghan.
I love this soup. Love this soup. Did I say that I love this soup? It has tons of fresh veggies and a spicy Italian sausage...and it's so DARN GOOD!!! At the end we grate a tad bit of parmiganio on top and serve with a good crusty bread.
mmmmm.......

Meghan's Minestrone

1 lb Italian Sausage (I prefer spicy)
1 large onion
2-3 carrots, sliced
2-3 celery ribs, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 cups beef stock
1 leek, chopped
2-3 zucchini, sliced
2 cups green beans
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 28oz chopped tomatoes w/juice
1 cup pasta (elbow or shells)
basil, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste)

Sauté sausage (remove from casing and crumble) in large pot. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic--sauté about 5 minutes. Add beef stock, leeks, zucchini, green beans, cabbage and tomatoes. Simmer, covered for one hour. Add pasta and spices, simmer additional 30 minutes.