Portuguese Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb. ham hocks
16 oz. tomato sauce
2 potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 lb. Portuguese sausage, sliced
1 carrot, quartered
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
8 oz. elbow macaroni
salt and pepper to taste
1 can kidney beans
cornstarch (for thickening)

Preparation

Cover ham hocks with water and bring to a boil.
Simmer until meat is tender and begins to fall off bones.
Take out bones and remove any remaining meat to return to pot.
Add tomato sauce, potatoes, sausage, carrots, onion, celery and macaroni.
Simmer until potatoes and macaroni are almost done.
Add cornstarch to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Add kidney beans and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Serves 6 hungry adults.