Sausage Minestrone by Jackie

*adapted from Erica Drake's earlier recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb Bob Evans Italian Sausage Roll
1/2 cup onion
2 (15.5 oz) cans cannelloni beans
1 (32 oz) box beef broth
2 3/4 cups water
11/2 cup fresh carrots, sliced
1 cup fresh celery, sliced
1 cup small, uncooked pasta (I used Datini.)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Assembly:
Cook onion and sausage in a large soup pot until sausage is done.   Add all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT for the pasta.  Mix and bring to a boil.  Simmer on low heat for at least an hour to bring out the flavor.  Cool soup completely.  Pour soup into a gallon size Ziploc freezer bag.  You may find that you have a little that won't fit.  If this happens, either put the rest in a quart size bag or keep it in the fridge for lunch. :) Place pasta in a Ziploc snack bag and place in pantry until serving day.

Serving Day:
Thaw soup.  Cook pasta.  Add noodles.  Warm on stove top or in microwave.

Optional - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

*Serving suggestion:  Serve with salad and Italian bread.