Italian Garden Soup: It's Like a Party in My Mouth

After watching Eat, Pray, Love I have the urge to go to Italy and eat myself silly. Actually that movie and book give me the urge to do a lot of things but let's not get into that. Inspired by the movie I decided to make this soup. It's slow cooked in a crock pot too which I love cause you can make it up then let it simmer all day and not have to watch over it.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained

1 can (15 1/2 oz.) navy or small white beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 cup frozen green beans

2 cans (14 oz. each) or either vegetable or chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated sausage or cheese filled tortellini pasta

3 tablespoons basil

Grated cheese (either Asiago or Parmesan are best)

Step 1

Heat oil in a large skillet over-medium high heat unitl hot. Add bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook and stir 4 minutes or until onions are translucent. Transfer to 5-quart crock pot slow cooker.

Step 2

Add tomatoes with juice, navy beans, zucchini, green beans, broth, and garlic powder. Cover; cook on low 7 hours or high 3 1/2 hours.

Step 3

Turn crock pot to high. Add tortellini and cook 20 to 25 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Stir in basil. Garnish each serving with cheese.

It was awesome. As my Fiance said, "It's like a party in my mouth!" Bellissimo!

Note: I forgot to put the basil in and we didn't miss it.

Further note: This recipe came from the cookbook Crock Pot, the Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection, 2008 Publications International, Ltd.