1 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
4 cups hot water
2 cups dry small shell pasta**
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
2 cans mixed vegetables
1 can great northern beans or pink cannelini beans
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
1 large jar marinara or spaghetti sauce, your choice
1 tablespoon oregano, or to your taste
2 teaspoons thyme leaves, or to your taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to your taste
2 tablespoons parsley, dried or fresh
1 tablespoon sugar
salt to taste

**Any small pasta will work, including broken spaghetti, shells, alphabet pasta, orzo or even small elbows.

In a LARGE soup pot or Dutch oven, crumble ground beef or bulk Italian sausage. If using link sausage, remove sausage from casings and crumble into the pot. Add onion, bell peppers and celery. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat if desired.

Add 4 cups hot water, bouillon cubes and dry pasta. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is done, stirring often.

Add remaining ingredients, including all liquid from the canned beans and mixed vegetables. Add more water if a thinner soup is desired. Cover with a lid and bring back to a boil over medium low heat, stirring often. Simmer for a few minutes, then turn off heat and serve with shredded Parmesan cheese over the top and bread sticks or garlic toast. Add a green salad for a complete meal.