JoDee's Upstate Minestrone Soup

1 lbs. Sausage
1 Tbl. olive or vegetable oil
1 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. basil
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 16 oz. can tomatoes
2 c. hot water with 3 beef bouillon cubes
2 c. shredded cabbage
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 can great northern beans, undrained
Chopped fresh parsley
Slice sausage crosswise about ½ in. thick; brown in oil in deep saucepan or Dutch oven. Add oinion, garlic, carrots and basil; cook for 5 mins. 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!)
Note from JoDee: I also add one can of black beans undrained and a couple of handfuls of macaroni. I save the zucchini until the last five minutes of cooking so they are bright and fresher.