Pasta E Fagioli

My niece, Meghan, moved in with us and has an obsession with the Olive Garden. She LOVES their Pasta E Fagioli soup. Since we don't go out to eat much, she wanted me to cook the soup at home. I cooked this last night and half of it is gone already. Success! I know other people love this soup too, so, here's the recipe, just for you! **DISCLAIMER** I have one of the biggest crock pots they make, so you might want to half the recipe. This recipe yields approximately 15 bowls of soup.

Here's what you will need:

2 lbs hamburger meat

1 large onion

4 carrots

1/2 - 1 stalk celery

56 oz. diced tomatoes (you can also use stewed tomatoes)

16 oz. white kidney beans

16 oz. red kidney beans

30-40 oz. beef stock (depending on how soupy you want it)

20 oz. spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. tabasco sauce

3 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. pepper

5 tsp. parsley

8 oz. pasta

Brown the hamburger in a pan. While the hamburger is cooking, chop up the onion, carrots, and celery. When the hamburger is done, drain off the grease and put the meat in the crock pot.  Drain the red and the white kidney beans and add them to the meat. Add the undrained diced tomatoes. Then, add everything else except the pasta and stir it all up. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.

 During the last 30 minutes to an hour, add the pasta.

Enjoy!!!!