Minestrone Soup or Pasta E Fagioli

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 lb of lean ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken breast, or can of chicken
1 onion, diced (sometime try a red onion)
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cans (15 oz.) diced canned tomatoes
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cannellini or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken or beef stock (2 cans)
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon of basil
1 or more teaspoons of parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta or fusilli (or pasta of your choice)
Tabsco sauce (optional--for those who like it hot)

1.  Add the olive oil to the stockpot and heat. Next, add the ground meat and cook until its brown.
2.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and sauté.
3.  Add diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, chicken and beef stock, spices, salt, and pepper.
4.  Stir the ingredients. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the ingredients to simmer for ten minutes.
5.  While soup is simmering, drain and rinse your beans.
6.  After ten minutes, you will add the beans to your soup, and the macaroni. Stir all ingredients.
7.  Simmer the soup for 45 minutes to an hour. Stir the soup periodically.

Garnish the soup with freshly grated Romano cheese or Parmesan.  Store the soup in a covered container in your refrigerator up to five days.  It is okay to freeze the minestrone soup.