Quick & Easy Minestrone

In soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until it browns; remove from pot. To the bacon grease that remains, add onion, mushrooms, garlic, and carrots. Cook until the onion is soft and the carrots are slightly softened. Stir often to keep the garlic from burning. Add broth, tomatoes in liquid (coarsely chop them in the can with kitchen shears), salt, basil, thyme, and pepper. Bring to boil and cover. Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Then, bring soup back to boiling and add the pasta (if using). Cook, uncovered, until the pasta is nearly tender, about 10 minutes. Add peas and boil for 2 minutes.

Serve with cheese on top and well-buttered crusty bread on the side. Or sandwich bread. We won’t judge.

(The key to this recipe is remembering that every vegetable in there is negotiable. Add potatoes, forgo the fresh pea pods, it will still taste great. My kids’ favorite vegetable to add is zucchini. Go figure. Enjoy!)