North Napa Minestrone Soup

This is for a multiple day supply. Plan on about 4 hours between

cooking and prep. Do it on a day you are off work and have all

kinds of time. The cooking is the easy part. The prep is the time

consuming part.

COOKING TOOLS

--One large pot

--One frying pan 

--One colander

--One chopping knife

--One pair of kitchen shears

--One potato peeler

--6-8 small bowls

FOOD ITEMS

--7-8 cartons of Chicken Broth

--Carrots (either a frozen bag of crinkle cut or four large ones from

the produce section)

--Large celery sticks (Either a pre-packaged bunch or about five

large ones)

--Zucchini (either four small ones or two large ones)

--One large potato

--One can of tomatoes (whole, diced, quartered or crushed)

--12 ounce bag of lentils (thickens broth)

--Two shallots

--One package of Italian sausage 

--Pasta (any small kind). For example, the small elbow shaped.

NOTE: Though my version involves meat, it is not a must. Meatballs

can work as well if you prefer meat. 

--OPTIONAL: One tablespoon of dried Oregano. Basil or Parsley will

work as well. This item is is a plus if you have it but not a must. 

PROCESS

--Chop/peel and sautee veggies and sausage (cut into quarter shaped

pieces) separately. 

--MULTI-RASK: Sautee each veggie and meat separately. While

doing this, pour a carton of chicken broth into pot and wait to boil full

speed, put stove dial at 1 o’clock. Once it boils pour another in until

you have poured in six cartons. Again, wait until it reaches full boil.

NOTE: Do not pour in all six cartons at once, it’ll take a month of

Sundays to boil.   

--When broth boils full speed after pouring six, pour can of tomatoes

and lentils into pot and let it boil full go for 30 minutes.

 --Then pour veggies and meat into pot one by one and set timer for

two hours. Let it come to a full boil, then back the burner to about 7

o'clock.  

--Last 10 minutes, throw in about a cup of pasta. 

--Stir it ever so often to check on thickness, you don’t want it too

runny but you don’t want it so thick that the veggies stick to the

pot. 

--Turn off burner. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, 

It's a lot of work but the end result is worth it.  

The key is to sautee the veggies and meat (if you choose to add

any) beforehand. Also, you don't need to add salt since the chicken

broth, veggies and meat release flavor as it boils. The first time I

made it, I added salt and it tasted like the Dead Sea. You live and

learn. 

Bon apetite. 

Any questions, hit me up on Facebook or e-mail me

at napavince@gmail.com