ace cooks minestrone

• 3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini or navy) beans, drained
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked ditalini pasta
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 medium summer squash, chopped
• 2 cups fresh swiss chard cut into ribbons
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Basil sprigs, garnish, optional (we used freeze dried instead for a money saving tip)

Peeling carrots is none too easy when you have a dull peeler but clean and peel vegetables as necessary.

Onions burn.... need I say more? Apparently so. Add some olive oil to a pot and add carrots, celery and onion. When soft add broth, tomatoes, and beans, thyme, sage, bay leafs and 1/2 t. each salt and pepper.Cover and cook on medium for 30 minutes.

I then sliced chard into ribbons with my knife.
Add the chard, zucchini and squash and stir, then let cook for 15 more minutes. Before serving add cooked pasta (gluten-free for mom) and top with Parmesan cheese and freeze dried basil (no fresh in winter).
The finished product was divine although I needed to cut the vegetables into much thinner pieces and add much more liquid and beans. I made this meal for my mom and she thought it was magnificent so on that note, Bon' Appetite