Minnestrone With Italian Sausage

• 1 - 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 - 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 - 3 cloves minced garlic, or to taste
• 1 package turkey Italian sausage, mild
• 31/2 - 4 quarts canned broth (half chicken, half beef)
• 2 bay leaves
• parsley
• thyme
• basil
• 2 - 3 cups small, peeled carrots
• 4 medium unpeeled red potatoes, cut in chunks
• 14 - 16 ounce can cut tomatoes in juice, undrained
• 1 bag frozen Italian green beans
• 1 - 2 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 3 - 4 zucchini, cut in chunks
• 3 - 4 yellow crookneck squash, cut in chunks
• Lawry's seasoned salt
• 8 ounces bow-tie pasta
• 16 oz. bag fresh spinach
• grated Parmesan cheese
• croutons

1. Melt butter in large soup pot, add olive oil. Saute leeks, celery, onion & garlic until softened.
2. Meanwhile, brown sausage. Cut in spoon-sized pieces and add to the pot; you can add the juice which cooks out of the sausage too. Add broth and bring to a simmer.
3. Add bay leaves, parsley, thyme, basil, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and kidney beans. Simmer until carrots & potatoes are almost tender. Add frozen green beans and bring to a simmer.
4. Add cabbage, zucchini & crookneck squash. Cook until all vegetables are tender. Add seasoned salt to taste.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta almost al dente in another pot. Drain pasta and add to soup. Cook until pasta is tender and flavors are blended. Just a few minutes before soup is finished, stir in spinach.
6. Garnish individual soup bowls with Parmesan cheese and croutons.

butter, olive oil, leeks, celery, onion, garlic, turkey italian sausage, canned broth, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, basil, carrots, red potatoes, tomatoes, frozen italian green beans, cabbage, zucchini, crookneck squash, salt, pasta, fresh spinach, parmesan cheese, croutons

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/minnestrone-with-italian-sausage-1208582 (may not work)