Our house is greatly divided when it comes to having soup for dinner.  I love a warm bowl of soup especially on a cold night.  My hubby however is not a big fan of soup.  I always get a “look” when he comes home from work and sees a pot of soup on the stove.  However, with this particular soup we had a new division.  We had some leftovers that were put in the fridge.  The next day I was out running errands all over town and kept thinking how good this soup was going to taste for lunch.  I got home unloaded the car and went to the fridge to get out the soup,  but yet it was nowhere to be found.  It finally hit me-the man who claims to dislike soup so much had taken the leftover soup to work for lunch.  I couldn’t believe it…I had been drooling over it all morning to find it missing.  I was so sad.

So, even those who think they don’t like soup may find this soup hearty enough to fill any appetite. 

Pasta E. Fagioli Soup

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs. ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 15oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups beef broth
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbls. parsley
1 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 20oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I like Prego)
8 oz. ditali pasta, uncooked

Directions:

In a dutch oven or large soup pot, brown hamburger with the onions, garlic, carrots and celery.  Be sure to drain any excess fat from the pan.  Add remaining ingredients except for the pasta.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 40-45 minutes, or  until the vegetables are tender.  Return to a boil and add the pasta.  Cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until pasta is tender and serve with a little parmesan grated on the top.  {If the soup gets a little too thick you can add additional beef broth to thin it out at any point.}