Italian Bean and Sausage Soup

This soup has become a family favourite through the years. It comes together fairly quickly, but more importantly, it tastes good. I have "excellent" written in the margin.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 12  ounces  sweet Italian sausage (I use hot)
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  cup onion, chopped
• 2  teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes
• 3 1⁄2 cups hot water
• 2  cups medium pasta shells
• 2  chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a 4 quart pot. Remove sausage from casing & crumble into oil. Stir in the onions and garlic. Cook over "high" heat, stirring often, until the sausage browns (about 5 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, cut up the tomatoes right in the can (use kitchen shears).
3. Add tomatoes w' juice, water, pasta and bouillon cubes to the pot. Bring to boil over "high" heat, stiring a couple of times. Lower heat, cover & simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the beans. Add to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes, or until pasta is tender and the beans are heated through.