Instructions: Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and then stir 1 teaspoon olive oil through and reserve.

Simmer sausage links in water, covered, for 8 minutes. Cool & slice sausages. Reserve sausage slices. Cook onions and garlic in sausage liquid about 2 minutes. Add to stock pot. Add wine, oregano, thyme and bay leaf. Simmer while preparing potato and celery.

Add potato, celery, frozen vegetables and chicken broth. Cook until vegetables are tender-about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Add spinach, tomatoes, zucchini and reserved sausage slices. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and Balsamic vinegar. Bring to very gentle simmer. Stir if needed to keep from sticking.

Just before serving, add parsley, cannellini beans, Pesto and reserved pasta.

Simmer long enough to heat beans through and disperse Pesto sauce.

Note: Its nice to add freshly grated Parmesan cheese on each serving.

Time Management: Soup may be prepared up to where you add the beans and pasta, etc., and kept warm for 1 hour. If wishing to do farther ahead, stop before adding spinach and remaining ingredients and chill. Reheat and complete as directed.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.