Mmmm- Minestrone

Lady Clare's Note:

I am posting this here because I had lost the recipe for ages and finally found it in my email. I had sent it to myself because I knew I would lose it. So here it is! It is very easy and so YUMMY! * Please note, the tomato juice is a 1.36 Litre can, and the kidney beans a 540 mL can for my fellow Canadians. Recipezaar refused to let me write that in the recipe!

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 stalks celery , chopped
• 2 carrots , chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb turkey
• ¾ teaspoon dried basil
• ¾ teaspoon crushed rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (19 ounce) can kidney beans , drained and rinsed
• 1 (48 ounce) can tomato juice
• 1 cup broken spaghetti noodles
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. 1. Heat oil over medium heat, in saucepan. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beef; cook, breaking up with back of spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain, if desired.
2. 2. Stir in basil, rosemary, red pepper flakes and beans. Add tomato juice; bring to boil. Add noodles.
3. 3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until spaghetti is tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in parsley and garnish each serving with some Parmesan cheese, if using.