Tortellini Soup

This is just about the easiest soup ever. I'm pretty sure you can get this on the table in under 30 minutes. And...the best side for this soup are some Light Wheat Rolls (which I will post later this week). I am sorry there are only 2 pics; we'd just gotten home from Holy Friday Mass, it was 2 hours long, and everyone was hungry. All you really have to do is throw everything into the pot.

There was a great substitute teacher, Maria, who I met during my second year of teaching. She was in great demand because she was known for staying on top of things, keeping papers organized for the teachers who were absent, and her gentle, yet firm style of discipline. Maria didn't let the kids get away with things just because she was a "sub."

Anyway, one day, she comes into the teacher's lounge and warms up a container of soup. It smelled so good...all of us pretty much demanded she hand over the recipe. Maria graciously obliged, and wrote it down on a recipe card for everyone who asked. I still have the card in my recipe file box :-).

So, here's a simple, comforting bowl of soup, guaranteed to warm your insides!

Tortellini Soup

4 cups chicken/vegetable broth

1 9 ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

1 15 ounce can great northern or cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon fresh basil, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, bring the broth to a boil.

Add the tortellini and simmer for 6 minutes. (If you are using fresh tortellini, don't put them in until the very end, and let them cook for just about 2-3 minutes.)

Add the beans and tomatoes, reduce the heat, and let the pot simmer for another 6 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the salt, pepper, vinegar, and basil.

Garnish with the parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

That's it for Lent this year everyone! Hope you enjoyed meatless cooking with me!

God bless your table tonight