Winter minestrone in the Fall!

I have always been a fan of minestrone soup.  As a kid, I looked forward to our family going out to dinner so I could order it.  Just to assure you I was a kid; I ordered a side of onion rings too!
As my cookbook collection grew, I was always on the lookout for a minestrone soup recipe.  I was convinced I could make it better than my childhood memory of it. 

I don’t know if it is “better,” but Ina Garten aka the Barefoot Contessa, hits a homerun again with her Winter Minestrone & Garlic Bruschetta.  She describes it as a “hearty winter soup that falls somewhere between a soup and a stew.”  I just call it delicious and am delighted I’ll be able to freeze the leftovers for another cold winter’s night!

P.S.  The recipe called for pesto.  You bet I used what I made earlier this summer from my garden!

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