Aunt Jenny's Minestrone Soup

I made this minestrone soup from Alice's Brady Bunch Cookbook a few months ago, but it was so good and the weather has turned cold so thought it warranted another go. The first thing anyone attempting to cook out of that "cookbook" learns (as any faithful follower of my other blog, Cooking with Alice, would know) is that most of the recipes are severely flawed and generally taste bad. I mean bad. This one stands out because it was actually delicious. I can count on one hand the number of recipes from that book that I would make again and obviously this is one of them. The only change I made (and yes, it seems I am compelled to always change something - I have no idea why I can't just follow a recipe but it is possibly a problem with authority) was that Alice added Italian sausage, and as much as I love Italian sausage, the soup didn't need it. It is flavorful on it's own with just the veggies and pasta. Soup is good food.

Alice called it Aunt Jenny's Minestrone Soup after the episode "Jan's Aunt Jenny" (even though, presumably she was the Aunt of all six Brady children). Anyway, this is yet another identity crisis for sad sack middle child Jan. She finds an old photo of a girl who looks just like her (because it is) and discovers it is a picture of her mother Carol's eccentric Aunt Jenny, played by comic great Imogene Coca (see Sid Caesar and "Your Show of Shows"). Jan is anxious to meet Aunt Jenny until she sees a current photo and realizes she might grow up to look like a kook, like Imogene Coca. Ultimately, Aunt Jenny comes for a visit and Jan learns that true beauty may lie from within, like Imogene Coca. It is no secret to me why  Eve Plumb (aka Jan) refused to do any of the early reunion shows like "The Brady Bunch Hour" - she is probably still dealing with the trauma of the original series. 

See for yourself - they are practically identical cousins!

The Recipe:

1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (I say dice it, Alice said slice it)
4 large carrots, peeled and diced (or use thawed frozen diced)
1 bulb fennel, chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced (white, waxy ones are best, although Alice didn't specify)
1 green pepper, diced
3 medium zucchini, diced
5 cups beef stock
5 cups water
1 20 oz can plum tomatoes, with juice (chop them up, although Alice doesn't say this. Trust me)
2 tblsp oregano
1 tblsp basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 8oz package of small shell pasta
1 14oz can of white kidney beans, drained

In a large stock pot heat the oil and saute the onion for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. One at a time add the fennel, potatoes, peppers and zucchini, cooking each for 2 minutes before adding the next. Add the beef stock, water, tomatoes with juice, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2  hours. The soup will be thick. Increase the heat and add the pasta and the kidney beans. Stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked, about 15 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.