Pasta e Fagioli

I found this Olive Garden knockoff on this blog and had to try it. Nicholas and I cooked it up while taking care of a toddler and my friend's 3 month old. There's plenty so I'm freezing half for a future dinner.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced (I used red)
1/2 of a small 1 lb. bag of baby carrots, chopped
5 stalks of celery, diced
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (32 oz) carton + 1 (14.5 oz) can of beef broth
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp tabasco sauce (I used Frank's red hot)
1 jar (1 lb 10 oz) spaghetti sauce (I used Prego garlic mushroom)
1 cup dry small pasta (I used Davinci orzo)
salt to taste

Instructions:
Brown ground beef in oil. Drain if needed.
Add onion, carrot, celery, and tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes.
Add beans, beef broth, oregano, pepper, parsley, tabasco sauce, and spaghetti sauce.
Simmer soup on low for about 30-45 minutes until carrots are almost tender.
Add pasta to pot and simmer on low for 15-30 minutes until pasta is almost al dente.
As soup cools, the pasta will absorb the broth.

why not?

i've got printed copies of recipes all over the house. i've always thought of getting one of those old-style photo albums with the sticky pages and organizing them, but i think a blog might work better. i've got minimal skills, a picky husband, and this fear that any recipe too hard will go in the trash while james heads to mcd's. lately i have had success with recipes, especially from those on my mom's forum. all of those women are just as pressed for time and trying to please hubbies and toddlers alike. i plan to post any successful recipe here for my keeping. if you want to try them, be my guest. they won't be on here unless they are good!