Zucchini & Yellow Squash Vegetable Pesto Soup

I got this recipe from Emeril Lagasse but revamped it to fit my families taste. "Don't be afraid to make this straightforward, veggie-packed soup your own by using the vegetables you especially like or you have on hand. For instance, replace the zucchini and yellow squash with frozen green peas and frozen corn. If you're a tomato lover, two cups of chopped canned tomatoes can be substituted for two cups of the roth. Also, you could gild the lily by adding three cups of cooked macaroni or other small pasta, or a bit of cooked rice, right before serving. The sky's the limit here."--Emeril Lagasse

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 6  sprigs parsley
• 2  bay leaves
• 2  tablespoons olive oil or 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  cups  diced onions
• 2  cups  diced carrots
• 1 1⁄2 cups  diced celery (small dice, with or without leaves)
• 2  tablespoons  minced garlic
• 8  ounces button mushrooms or 2  cups button mushrooms, wiped clean, stemmed, and quartered
• 4  quarts  beef stock or 4  quarts  chicken stock or 4  quarts  vegetable stock or 4  quarts  canned low sodium beef broth or 4  quarts low sodium chicken broth or 4  quarts  low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2  cups  diced zucchini (large dice)
• 2  cups  diced  yellow squash (large dice)
• 2  tablespoons pesto sauce

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart (or larger) soup pot over high heat.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and the parsley bundle, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the broth, salt, and pepper.
5. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Remove the cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12 minutes.
6. Add the broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, and spinach to the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes.