For my Minestrone recipe that I shared with Jeff and Jenn on Jeff and Jenn Mornings on Q102 just click "read more".  Enjoy!

Minestrone

Serves 8

My husband and I used to go to a little Italian restaurant in Detroit called Salvatore Scaloppini. They made a minestrone soup that we just loved. I tried to recreate it at home and finally got the creamy smoky flavor of their soup by adding an 11.25-ounce can of Bean with Bacon soup. Try it- it’s a deliciously different alternative.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Make ahead: Tastes best made one day ahead.
Tip: Keep a pot of homemade soup in the fridge all the time. Besides making an easy dinner, I like to eat soup for a snack- it’s low calorie and packed with veggies.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium yellow squash, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can tomato puree
8 cups   chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked ditalini or other small tubular pasta
1 15.5-ounce can Great Northern  or cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
2 large handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly  ground black pepper
Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and oregano; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is soft.   Stir in squash, zucchini and carrot; sauté 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.  Add diced tomatoes, tomato puree and broth; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.  Add pasta, beans, spinach,  crushed red pepper flakes, salt and several grinds of back pepper;  cook 12-14  minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

To Serve: Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.