Pasta Fagioli Soup

This is a quick, easy homemade soup, that will fill your belly full of great Italian flavors. It's really not Fagioli soup, which is made with white Canneloni beans, but it is great tasting. I have to give credit to Cooking Light which originally printed this recipe. I did have to make a few adjustments for available items and personal preference. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

12 ounces Sante Fe Chicken Sausage, this can be substituted with Italian Brats that have been pre-boiled, cooled (in running water to wash off extra fat), peeled (the casing), cut and lightly sautee'd. This can take an extra 15 minutes for the total cooking time.

3-5 Cups Fat Free Chicken Broth, You can use canned chicken broth, chicken boullion, or home made chicken broth that has been made in advance, frozen or canned. We like extra broth so we add extra.

1/2 Cup small Seashell pasta, DO NOT USE ANYTHING OTHER THAN SMALL! I also do not recommend using more pasta than stated. It expands a large amount and absorbs your broth.

1 Can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes, undrained, I also recommend diced tomatoes.

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Can (15 oz.) kidney beans

2 Cups Coarsely chopped Zuchinni

1/3 Cup Shredded Asiago Cheese, I don't recommend substituting any other cheese.

Preparation:
Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes (or until done), stirring constantly. Add broth and pasta; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano, and beans; cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until pasta is tender. Add Zuchini and cook for 2 more minutes or until tender crisp. Keep in mind that the heat of the soup will continue cooking the Zuchinni so stopping the cooking early could be a good idea. Sprinkle with cheese.

Notes: We like to sprinkle the cheese individually into our bowls. This way we control what we want. The Nutritional Value is approximate since there are such variables as home made chicken broth, Italian brats, and the amount of cheese added to your bowl. Finally, I like to serve soup with bread, which should be eaten in moderation.

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 319(26% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 3.3g,mono 3.8g,poly 0.8g); IRON 4.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 56mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.7g; SODIUM 858mg; PROTEIN 21.9g; FIBER 9.6g