Forgotten Minestrone Soup

1 lb. stew meat
6 cups water
28 oz. can of tomatoes
1 beef bullion cube
1 med. onion (optional..could use a few sprinkles of dried)
2 tbsp. minced dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 med. zucchini
2 cups cabbage (optional..I leave it out)
1 16 oz. can garbanzo beans (I leave these out too)
1 cup elbow macaroni (or other pasta)
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Combine all ingredients down to pepper and cook in crock pot on low 7-9 hrs. Stir in the rest of ingredients and cook on high 30- 45 more min. (if you are in a hurry, boil the rest of the stuff in a pot on the stove until pasta is tender then drain and add to soup..this will only take about 15 min). I garnish the bowls with a generous amount of fresh grated parmesan..that I buy shredded in the bag. It sounds like a gross recipe, but my kids love it. It's got a good blend of spices and tastes very Italian.
HINTS: Stew meat does not have to be thawed, fresh tomatoes out of your garden will work in the summer.