Minestrone Chili

I haven't yet made minestrone, but this recipe was great! I used to hate tomatoes and tomato sauce as a kid, but I've recently learned to come around to it. This was called a soup, but I decided to call it a chili. It's so thick, but absolutely amazing! I almost would've added a can of chicken broth, or something to give a little bit more liquid after adding all the beans and pasta. The flavors were great, especially with the pepperoni slices. This could easily be substituted with Italian sausage (I added this below so I remember to add it next time) or chicken-you could even add any additional stew vegetables into this soup that you have on hand!

Minestrone-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total Time: 6 1/2 Hours
Serves 8

• 2 cans (one 28 ounce, one 14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups water
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-1/2 ounces sliced pepperoni
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, browned
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1-1/4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine first nine ingredients. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for 15 more minutes, or until heated through. Serve with cheese sprinkled over the top.