Nicole's Soup aka Hamburger Soup

This is a soup I found years ago in Sunset Magazine. I wasn't a big sausage fan at the time so I used hamburger instead. This soup can really have anything in it. Sometimes we add leftover veggies from the fridge or freezer. I copied this recipe off of the website and it is double of the recipe I have written down. Half of this recipe will feed Eddie and I and have 2-3 servings leftover. Enjoy.

Ingredients


2 pounds hot or mild Italian sausages or hamburger
3 carrots (12 oz. total), peeled and chopped
1 onion (12 oz.), peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 cups dried large shell-shaped pasta
4 quarts spinach leaves (about 12 oz.), rinsed
Salt and pepper
About 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Squeeze sausages from casings into an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat and stir often, breaking them apart with a spoon, until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon out and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

2. Add carrots, onion, and garlic; stir often until onion is limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice), beans, and basil and bring to a boil.

3. Add pasta, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Skim and discard fat. Stir in spinach and cook just until it is wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup from the pan, or pour into a tureen. Offer parmesan cheese to add to taste.