Upstate Minestrone Soup (aka Dwight's Soup!)

1 lb sweet sausage (Italian)
1TB olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cup sliced carrots
1 tsp crumbled basil
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 can (1 lb) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) beef broth or 3 beef bouillon cubes plus 1 1/2 cups hot water
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (1 lb) great northern beans, undrained
Chopped fresh parsley

Slice sausage crosswise about 1/2 inch thick; brown in oil in deep saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and basil; cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, tomatoes with liquid, bouillon, cabbage, salt and pepper. Bring soup to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add beans with liquid; cook another 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley. (Soup is even better the second day!)

Yield: 8 servings
Prep/cook time: about 2 hours