Chunky Italian Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground round/beef tips OR 1/2 lb. ground round and 1/2 lb. Polska Kielbasa sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 14.5 oz. cans Italian tomatoes
1 10.7.5 oz. can tomato soup with basil, undiluted
5 c. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried Oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. chili powder (optional)
1 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 carrot, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
8 oz. rotini noodles, cooked
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook beef and onion in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain.
Return mixture to pan.
If you chose to cook with ground beef and sausage, there is no need to cook the sausage.
Just slice it into 1/4 inch pieces and add to mixture after beef is cooked.
Stir in tomatoes, next 7 ingredients and if desired, chili powder; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
Stir in kidney beans and next 3 ingredients.
Simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
Stir in cooked pasta.
Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Yields:
10 cups.
Preparation time:
20 minutes.
Cooking time: 30 minutes.