Summer Minestrone

I know it's summer, but I'm one of those people who eats soup when it's hot outside.  I think soup is really great for summer- it's usually nice and light, full of veggies, and won't weigh you down throughout the day.  I'm especially enamored by soups you can recreate on a whim.  Exhibit A: Minestrone.

Minestrone is the king of customizable soups.  You can honestly just throw in whatever you've got.  I'll give you a rough outline of what to do.

1.  Chop or dice up some basic veggies - carrot, celery, onion - and throw them in the pot with some olive oil.  Add some garlic and spices of your choice, and cook them down a bit.

2. Add some more chopped veggies - squash, green beans, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, substantial kind of stuff- and let those cook down a little, about al dente. 

3. Throw in some white wine to deglaze, if you want.  Let it hang for a few minutes.

4. Add your chicken or veggie stock and then add your pasta as well.  Pick a smaller pasta.. I like ditalini.  You can also add canned beans at this point.  Let it come to a boil, then bring it down to a simmer and let it hang until the pasta is cooked to your liking.

5. Add any greens- spinach, romaine, anything that wilts easily- and let it wilt.  Scoop the stuff into some bowls and serve with crusty bread or big, rustic croutons made out of crusty bread. 

You really can't go wrong here.  It's a great recipe when you want to clean out your fridge.  Try it soon!