Copy Cat Spaghettios

When I had the thought to make this, I didn't start out thinking, "I'm going to make my own spaghettios."  I made my tortellini soup for dinner and my kids would not eat it.  I had even made it this time and pureed all the vegetables so they would eat it!  For some reason, they wouldn't eat it with just the sausage in it!  They love sausage, but they wouldn't eat it.  So, the next day, I had the thought to drain out the sausage and add some mini star pasta that I had on hand, and this recipe was born. 

I buy Spaghettios a few times a year, so not very much, but Mallary will eat them which makes no sense to me because I think they even smell horrible.  Not anymore!  The kids LOVED this.  I had packed it in their lunch, and Trevan came home and said, "When did you buy those Spaghettios??!" Ha!  He told me it was so good!!  The SAME soup they wouldn't eat the day before, but you add star noodles and life is all good again.  It's a win win - they are eating a TON of vegetables and don't even know it!

Copy Cat Spaghettios Recipe 

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups beef broth (3 -14oz. cans)

1 cup water

1 1/2 cup sliced carrots

3 cups crushed tomatoes (28 oz. can)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini

1 1/2 cups diced yellow squash

8 oz. pasta of your choice (stars, shapes, abc's)

1.  Cook your pasta according to package instructions - set aside. 

2.  While pasta is cooking, saute onion, celery and garlic in a little bit of olive oil in a large pot and cook until tender. (Honestly, I will probably cook sausage, remove it from pan then saute the onion, etc. in that sausage grease to add that flavor to the soup.  Then I'd just use the sausage in another recipe.)  Add broth, water, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley.  Bring to a boil for 15 minutes.   

3.  Add squash and zucchini.  Cover and cook until squash and zucchini are tender.  

4.  Puree vegetables.  Then add cooked pasta.

5.  Serve up the yummy goodness to your kids (and you)!

I mean, look at all those veggies!  Your kids don't even know it!! Yum!