I have always loved cookbooks. And lately, I've gotten tired of searching for recipes on the internet, so it was back to my first love. This recipe came from my Southern Living year 2000 cookbook. It was a very flavorful recipe that made a big pot of yummy soup!
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
3 (15 oz.) cans cannellini beans, undrained
32 oz. chicken broth
1 (1.4 oz.) envelope of vegetable mix (I used the Knorr brand usually used for dips)
20-25 1-inch frozen meatballs (I think if you can use a smaller size it would be better, but these still worked fantastically)
1 (14.5 oz.) can of Italian style diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper (I used a dash of cayenne pepper)
8 oz. uncooked rotini pasta
1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach, torn
Saute garlic in hot oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir in 2 cans of beans and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Stir in the envelope of vegetable mix until dissolved. Add meatballs, tomatoes, red pepper; return to a boil.
Add rotini, and cook, stirring often, 15 minutes.
Stir in remaining can of beans and spinach; cook 5 more minutes. Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
