Minestrone Soup

by Susan Crow

½ lb. Italian sweet sausage (hot if you want a spicy soup)
1 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 cup sliced carrots
1 tsp. basil
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 lb. can Italian pear tomatoes, chopped, undrained
2 (10 ¾ oz.) cans beef broth or 3 beef bullion cubes plus 1 ½ cups hot water
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
¼ tsp. pepper
2 (1 lb.) cans great Northern beans, undrained

Cut sausage into about ½” thick pieces and brown. Add onion, garlic, carrots and basil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, tomatoes with liquid, bullion, cabbage, pepper. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered 1 hour. Add beans with liquid; cook another 20 minutes. Freezes well, mellows with age. (Makes 8 servings)