Alphabet Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 3 medium parsnips, diced
• 2 small-medium zucchini, diced
• 2 small-medium (yellow) summer squash, diced
• 2 cups diced green beans, or combination green and wax beans
• 2 cups peas
• 2 cups corn, cut from the cob
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 2 quarts broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (or 14.5-oz.can, with juice)
• 1/4 cup alphabet noodles, cooked slightly less than package directions, and drained well
• 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string for easy removal
• 2 bay leaves
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1. Heat oil in soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and parsnips, and saute till vegetables begin to soften (this may take 20-30 minutes). Add tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, vinegar, broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, till vegetables are tender (this should take 30-45 minutes).
2. Add zucchini, summer squash, green beans, peas, and corn. Cook, uncovered, till these vegetables are tender (about 10-15 minutes).
3. Add spinach and cook a few minutes, until spinach is wilted. Remove bay leaves and thyme twigs.
4. Add noodles. Cook a minute or two, to heat through.
5. Soup will improve in flavor if refrigerated overnight, if you can wait that long.

olive oil, onion, garlic, stalks celery, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, summer, green beans, peas, corn, chopped spinach, broth, tomatoes, alphabet noodles, thyme, bay leaves, salt, freshly ground black pepper, red wine vinegar

Taken from food52.com/recipes/20568-alphabet-soup (may not work)