Baked Minestrone
by Linda Macdonald, posted on Carrie Minn's blog, "La Pomme de Portland"

I make this soup every fall. Sometimes a couple times during fall. So easy. So delicious. And, my favorite part are those simple black olives. I am not sure what the "baked" in the title of the recipe is meant to imply, but I am not one to argue with the creator of such a scrumptious dish. Now, Linda's instructions have you precooking your pasta before putting it in. I'm guessing that is to help prevent it from getting too soggy. I am always too lazy to do this step since it means washing another pot so I just throw my pasta in to cook in the broth about 15 minutes before I want to serve it. I also use 2 32-oz boxes of beef broth and omit the water since I don't want to waste the leftover broth. I will then add in some water if the stew has simmered down quite a bit and more liquid is needed. But however you do it, I hope you'll make a batch this stew and experience your own feelings of warmth and family as we approach the holidays.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs stew meat, cubed
• 1 c onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (I used Herbes de Provence because it's what I had on hand.) OR 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 15-oz cans beef broth
• 2 c water
• 1 15-oz can of diced tomatoes, plus juice
• 1 1/2 c zucchini (approx 2)
• 1 c carrots
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, plus juice
• 1 15-oz can medium, black olives, plus juice
• 1 c shell noodle, pre-cooked
• parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Generously salt and pepper your stew meat.
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium to medium-high heat.
• Brown your meat - possibly in two batches to prevent it from "stewing".
• Add in your onions, garlic and Italian seasonings and cook another 3-4 minutes until the onions are starting to soften.
• Add in your broth, water, tomatoes, zucchini and carrots.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour.
• Add your kidney beans, black olives (and pasta, if you did not pre-cook it) and cook at a high simmer for another 15 minutes.
• If you pre-cooked your pasta, add it to the mixture right before serving.
• Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• Ladle into shallow soup bowls.
• Top with parmesan cheese.
• Serve with some crusty bread and Caesar salad on the side. Enjoy....

Yield: One big pot full