Soup...

Crockpot-Sarah-is-sick-and-needs-minestrone Soup

Olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled, halved (lengthwise), and then sliced into chunky bits
1 cloves garlic, sliced
4 medium tomatoes, peeled(optional) and chopped (roma tastes best, canned are fine)
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
6 cups stock. Either chicken or veggie, I always use veg.
Salt and peppa
2 yellow squash, diced
2 zucchini, diced
½ c barley
2 colored peppers (not green, think yellow orange, red), roasted in the broiler, then cored, seeded, and cut into strips (you can be lazy and use the stuff in the jar too)
a blop of pesto if you got it
Fresh parmesean. You want the good stuff. Grate about ¼- ½ c
Chopped fresh basil (like 6 leaves)

Carmelize the onion lightly in a small saucepan in 2 tbsp olive oil for a couple minutes. Add celery, carrots and garlic. Toss everything in the crockpot, add a couple shakes of Italian seasoning if you like. Add everything else, put crockpot on low, go to work. When you get home, taste, adjust seasoning if necessary. serve with cheese and a little more chopped basil.