Bean and Pasta Soup

Source: Home School Zone

Bean and pasta soup is a delicious answer to a cold winter's day. This stick to your ribs recipe can be served for either lunch or dinner. Add some nice homemade bread and perhaps a green salad and you have a complete meal.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-size onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock (can be homemade or chicken broth in a can)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of small pasta shells (about 3 oz.)
1 (15 oz.) can of pinto beans

Heat oil in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery; cook until soft. Add stock, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer 20 minutes. Add pasta cook 10 minutes more or until pasta is just tender to the bite. Drain beans. Rinse in cold water. Using a food processor puree 1/2 the beans ( you can also use a food blender here ). Add pureed and whole beans to the soup. Stir well. Cook 2 more minutes. Serve.