Turkey Minestrone

For Thanksgiving, my sister and I took a trip to Reno to spend the Holiday with my Aunt Kathy and Grammie. Before we left, my Aunt surprised me with a Christmas present...a "Taste of Home Cookbook"! This bad boy has become one of my favorite cookbooks thus far (I don't have many). It has dividers, and a section called "Kitchen Basics" - which helps me out every time I cook. It also has the classic recipe and three different ways to make it, Time-Saver - for the busy in your life, Light - for those watching your girlish figure, and Serves 2 - for those who don't do leftovers! I thought I would expand my cooking skills and try to make my very first soup! I decided that Turkey Minestrone (Light Recipe) sounded easy and, of course yummy . Well, it was super- duper easy and was OH, SO YUMMY! I hope you like making it as much as I did. :)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/2 pound hot Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
• Pinch pepper

Directions

• In a stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion in oil until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the next six ingredients; cook until meat is no longer pink.

• Add the tomatoes, broth, zucchini and mixed vegetables; cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, macaroni, vinegar, salt if desired and pepper; simmer for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 16 servings (4 quarts).

I served my soup with Ham and Swiss Panini's!! 

Yield: 16 Servings (4 quarts)

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 132 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 538 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein.