Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients

1/2 lb pinto beans
1/2 lb ground beef
3 large carrots
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 handful of parsley
4 celery stalks
1 quart chicken broth
1 bowl cracked pasta

Directions

Place the beans in a pot with water 2 in. above the top of the beans and start simmering. Cut up 1 1/2 carrots, 1/2 of the onion, and two celery stalks and place them in the beans. The beans should simmer for an hour to an hour and twenty minutes.

While the beans are cooking, grind the rest of the carrot, onion, parseley, garlic, and celery into a bowl and set aside.

Grind the beef and place in a large pot. Sautee until cooked (don't brown). Salt and pepper the beef.

When the beans are done, removed the vegetable pieces and throw them away. Add the beans to the pot with the beef. Also add the ground vegetables, and the chicken broth.

Bring the soup to a boil, add the cracked pasta, and simmer until the pasta is done.

Eat right away or freeze. It will also last in the refrigerator for a couple of days.