1 c chopped onions (2 small or 1 large)

1 c chopped celery (about 5 stalks)

2 or 4 uncooked Italian sausages (if you like things spicy, feel free to use spicy Italian sausage)

1 medium-sized yellow summer squash, chopped (no need to peel)

1 small to medium zucchini, chopped (no need to peel)

1 c peeled carrot slices, chopped (you can use frozen-crinkle-cut slices, thawed and chopped, if you like)

2″ square of parmesan cheese

1-2 tsp minced garlic

2 (14.5 oz) cans beef broth

1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 c water (to swish around in the sauce jar and then add to the crockpot)

2 (6.5 oz) sliced mushrooms (stems and pieces are okay)

1 c dry, uncooked corkscrew pasta (or any other small dried pasta)

salt and pepper, to taste

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

THE ARE OPTIONAL DEPENDING ON HOW FULL YOUR CROCKPOT IS AND WHETHER YOU HAVE UNEXPECTED COMPANY AND NEED TO STRETCH THE SOUP.

1 c cut green beans (if you use frozen, let them thaw before you add them)

1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained

1 c tomato juice

1 beef bouillon cube mixed with 1 cup water

grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top when serving

Spray the inside of a slow cooker with Pam or another nonstick spray.

Peel and chop the onions into small pieces. Add them to the bottom of the crock. They will form part of the broth.

Wash and chop the celery into small pieces. Add them on top of the chopped onions.

Cut the Italian sausages into bite-sized pieces. Add those to the crock on top of the celery.

Wash the yellow summer squash, cut it in half lengthwise, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add it to the crock on top of the Italian sausages.

Wash the zucchini, cut it in half lengthwise, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add it to the crock on top of the yellow squash.

Cut the carrot slices into bite-sized pieces add them to the crock on top of the zucchini.

Cut a 2″ square of parmesan cheese (or the equivalent) from a wedge of parmesan cheese. Add it to the crock on top of the carrots.

Measure the minced garlic and add that to the crock on top of the parmesan cheese.

Toss the contents of the crock together. mixing it up by hand.

Open the cans of beef broth and pour it over the vegetable and sausage in the slow cooker.

Open the jar of spaghetti sauce and pour that over the top.

Measure out one cup of water. Add it to the spaghetti sauce jar, put on the lid, and swish it around to get the clinging spaghetti sauce off the bottom and sides of the jar.. Pour the contents of the jar on top of the mixture in the slow cooker.

Open the cans of sliced mushrooms and add them, juice and all, to the contents of the slow cooker.

Stir the contents of the crock with a spoon until everything is well mixed, put on the lid, then plug in the slow cooker and set it to LOW.

Cook the soup for six hours, or until the veggies are tender. Give it a stir with a spoon and then add the uncooked pasta.

If you have room in the crock and you want to add any of the additional ingredients, do so now.

Stir to make sure everything is incorporated, replace the lid, and cook of LOW for another hour.

Your soup should be ready to serve in 60 minutes,. but it can hold for two additional hours, or even longer if need be.

To serve, ladle the soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.