Minestrone

Makes 7 quarts

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds shin beef with bone
1 cup dried navy beans
5 quarts water
2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup diced carrots
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon parsely flakes
1/2 pound ground chuck
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh zucchini
1 cup frozen loose packed green beans
1 1/2 cup broken up uncooked spaghetti
Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Basil leaves

Directions:

Place shin beef, beans, water, salt and pepper in a large kettle. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. ( This may be done a day ahead).

Remove meat from mixture and cut meat from bones. Add meat to soup. Add onion, garlic, celery, cabbage, carrots, potato and parsley.

Brown ground chuck and add to mixture. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add zucchini, green beans and spaghetti. Simmer until spaghetti is cooked, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings; you may wish to add an additional tablespoon of salt. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with cheese and a pinch of dried basil leaves.