Homemade Minestrone Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 beef shanks (1 1/2 lb.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 large romaine leaves, torn in bite size pieces
2 large red cabbage leaves, coarsely chopped
1 medium baking potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped or sliced
1 qt. water
2 cans beef broth
1/2 c. dried split peas
1 Tbsp. salt or less to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
2 fresh or imported canned pear-shaped tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 c. uncooked rotini (corkscrew-shaped pasta)

Preparation

Remove bone and fat from beef shanks.
Cut beef into 1-inch pieces.
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat.
Saute beef, garlic and onion until beef is light brown.
Stir in romaine, cabbage, potato and carrot.
Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until romaine is wilted.
Stir in remaining ingredients except rotini.
Heat to boiling, then reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Stir in rotini.
Add more water if needed. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until rotini is tender.
Remove bay leaf and serve!