Pasta e Fagioli

IT'S SUMMER OUT! Which means you may have had this exchange recently:

"It's way past dinner time. Come in the house, now!"

"Awwww! Do I have to?"  

"Yes. You've been in the yard all day. Now, inside with you!"  

So, we adults leave our gardening/yard projects reluctantly and skulk begrudgingly past the kid who is waiting impatiently at the door only to realize that she is right - I have been in the yard all day. It is now 9:30 pm and I haven't even given dinner a thought. There is nothing conveniently waiting in the refrigerator to be prepared. Fooey! 

Hmmm. Chicken thaws fast. There's a can of beans and some pasta. Pasta e fagioli!  Tasty and quick when you've been enjoying the sun all day and need a quick dinner, this Italian soup (traditionally vegetarian and meaning "pasta and beans") can be a yummy dinner with the addition of some chicken or ground beef. 

• 1 package chicken meat cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 quart chopped tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans
• 8 ounces small pasta
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbs parsley
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chopped rosemary

Put the broth, tomatoes and spices in a medium stock pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Drain and rinse the beans and add them, then add the chicken and cook it for about 2-3 minutes before adding the pasta.

Cook the soup for the amount of time suggested on the package for the pasta. Dish the soup out into bowls and allow it to cool for a few minutes as it will be very hot. Buon appetito!