Freezer Quick Chunky Minestrone

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (19 ounce) can tomatoes, 540 ml
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas (540 ml) or 1 (19 ounce) can kidney beans (540 ml) or 1 (19 ounce) can romano beans, rinsed and drained (540 ml)
• 4 ounces cut fresh green beans or 4 ounces frozen green beans
• 1 cup macaroni or 1 cup any small shell pasta
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels.
• 2 pour off all but 1 tablespoons drippings from the pan. add celery, onion, carrot and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. add tomatoes, breaking up with the back of a spoon. add chicken stock, sage and thyme; bring to a boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• 3 add chickpeas, green beans, chicken and macaroni; cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the macaroni is tender but firm. return cooked bacon to the pan. season with salt and pepper to taste. if freezing soup, see “to freezeâ€? section below; otherwise proceed with step 4.
• 4 serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese. serves 4.
• 5 to freeze: let soup cool. ladle into freezer containers, leaving headspace. seal, label and date. freeze for up to 3 months.
• 6 to serve: thaw soup in microwave or in refrigerator overnight. heat in a saucepan until hot. proceed with step 4, above.
• 7 quick chicken.