Slow Cooker Bean And Sausage Minestrone Food

SLOW-COOKER MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Combine the first 13 ingredients in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in beans, zucchini and pasta. Cook, covered, on high about 30 minutes longer, until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.

SLOW COOKER MINESTRONE SOUP WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PESTO

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, brown the Italian sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Drain the fat.
• Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
• Add the tomato paste, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and dried oregano.
• Saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the can of Italian tomatoes and chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until all the carrots are tender.
• Add both cans of beans, the zucchini, yellow squash, and dry pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
• Simmer another 10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
• At this point, you can add another cup or two of chicken broth, if you feel like it's not "soupy" enough.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. I like to roughly chop mine so it's easier to eat, but you don't have to!
• Wait about 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt, and then it's ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper. (I actually didn't add any! Sign of a killer soup, right?)
• Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.

SLOW-COOKER BEAN AND SAUSAGE MINESTRONE

Steps:

• If bean soup mix comes with seasoning mix, discard it. Heat beans and 8 cups water to boiling in 4-quart saucepan; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
• Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain if necessary.
• Drain beans and discard water. Mix beans, sausage mixture, carrots, broth and 2 cups water in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.
• Stir in tomatoes and pasta. Increase heat setting to High. Cover and cook about 30 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle individual servings with cheese and parsley.

MINESTRONE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the carrots, celery and leek; cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, green beans and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. , Return to a boil. Stir in the garbanzo beans, pasta and parsley. Cook for 6-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese.

SLOW-COOKER TWO-BEAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except macaroni and pesto.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
• Stir in macaroni. Cover; cook on Low heat setting about 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Top each serving with spoonful of pesto.