Minestrone soup

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 slices bacon
1 medium onion chopped
2 large carrots chopped
3 medium celery stalks with leaves minced
1 four inch sprig of fresh rosmary or 1 tsp dried
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh parsley chopped
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 large head cabbage chopped
3 swiss chard leaves washed dried and chopped
14 ounce can whole tomatoes drained and broken into pieces
16 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained, half of them mashed
10 cups chicken stock
2 tsp salt
4 ounces orzo

Heat over medium heat in a large soup pot, until the bacon released its fat, 2-3 minutes:
olive oil and bacon
Add and cook, stiring, until the greens begin to wilt about 5 minutes,
onion
carrots
celery
rosemary
basil
parsley
garlic
cabbage
swiss chard
Cover and cook to 10 minutes then stir in
can of tomatoes
Cook, stirring over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes then add
pinto beans
chicken stock
salt
stir the cover and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer partly covered for 30 minutes and remove rosemary sprig Stir in the orzo and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve
makes 20 servings of 1 cup each

Number of Servings: 20

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BELLOYA.