Chicken Sausage and Pasta Soup

Ok, this is one I made up one night that I wasn't sure what to make for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out! One of my favorite things about soup is how easy they are to add things to and modify, and how many leftovers it makes!

Disclaimer: Quantities are approximate, as while I was cooking I was seasoning to taste. Feel free to reduce and add as you feel necessary.

Ingredients:
-4 chicken sausages (I buy the ones at Sam's Club, which they have several varieties of. These in particular are sun-dried tomato and provolone)
-7 cups of water
-4 chicken bouillon cubes
-1/2 a medium onion, diced
-1 medium tomato, diced-2 tsp minced garlic
-1/2 box whole wheat penne pasta
-2 cans great northern beans (I believe they're 16.5 oz?)
-1 tbsp olive oil
-basil leaves (I forgot to measure this)

Preparation:

Put 7 cups water in large stock pot and bring to a boil. Add bouillon cubes once water is boiling. This will be the broth for the soup.

Slice chicken sausage into small pieces so they are ready to add to soup. If sausage is not pre-cooked, cook in skillet before starting the remainder of the recipe. If sausage is pre-cooked (mine was), put to the side.















Directions:
1.) Saute onion and garlic together in skillet with olive oil until onion is soft.














2. Once onion is cooked add to broth you created during preparation. Add sausage at the same time.














3. While broth is boiling, add pasta the pasta, tomato, and beans, and allow to boil until pasta is soft

4. Remove from heat and add basil after slightly cooled. I believe I added oregano as well.














Allow to cool and serve. Garnish with parmesan.














If you have any comments or recommendations to make this recipe better, feel free to let me know!

I'll try to eventually add nutritional info to recipes.

~Julie