Pasta E Fagioli

This is one of our favorite soup recipes.  Last winter when my 5 year old was sick she asked for it 4 nights in a row!  I found this recipe on Farm Girl in the Suburbs blog and only made a few changes to give it a bit more liquid.  Cooking the noodles in the soup gives the noodles great flavor but it really sucks up the juice!  (You don't have to cook the noodles in the same pan but why dirty another pot?!)

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart of tomatoes (or 2 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes)
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans (w/ liquid)
1 15-oz. can Great Northern Beans (w/ liquid)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
2 cups tomato juice
1 T. white vinegar
1 ½ t. salt
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
½ t. pepper
½ t. thyme
½ lb. Ditali pasta

Directions:
Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.  Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.  

At 50 minutes in, toss in the pasta and continue to cook.  Add more tomato juice or beef broth if necessary to get the consistency that you want.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until noodles are cooked through.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve with side salad and garlic bread.  

Enjoy!