Hearty Italian Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 lb. cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium size celery stalks, diced
2 medium size carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 medium size zucchini, diced
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1/2 medium size bunch spinach, chopped (remove tough stems)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
olive or vegetable oil for cooking

Preparation

Take approximately 1 1/2 cups of the white kidney beans and mash them until smooth in a medium bowl.
In a 5-quart saucepan, cook the ham, celery, carrots, onion, zucchini, basil and pepper in hot oil until the vegetables are tender and begin to brown (about 15 minutes).
Stir in the stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, chopped spinach, mashed white beans and 2 cups of water, using a spoon to break up the tomatoes.
Over high heat, bring to boiling. Reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes to blend the flavors.
Stir in the remaining beans; heat through.