Bean and Pasta Soup

I'm always on the lookout for a yummy soup recipe.  This is a great one to make on a cold day.  It warms up the house and it warms up your tummy.  I serve this with grilled cheese sandwiches.  Hunter likes to eat the pasta out of the soup, so I put a little extra in for him.

Bean and Pasta Soup
2 cups Great Northern beans, prepared*
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp tomato paste
3-1/2 cups water
1 cup small shaped pasta (like fusilli or conchigliette)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced**
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chopped onions and garlic, saute for 5-10 minutes until golden and soft. 

Add in the chopped tomatoes,oregano, tomato paste, prepared beans and water.  Bring to a boil. 

Add Pasta and sun-dried tomatoes, lower heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 

 Adjust seasonings of salt and pepper.  Serve with parsley or cilantro and sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. 

*Prepared beans are precooked and frozen for future meals, or the canned variety at the grocery store.  If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight.  Drain and rinse them and set aside.  Proceed with the above directions through adding water.  Add the beans and cook for an hour.  Then proceed with directions by adding pasta...

**I used dried sun-dried tomatoes, ones not in water or oil.  I added these to hot water and allowed them to plump up for about 5 minutes while I waited on the onions and garlic to saute.  Then drained them and chopped them up.

YUM!