Hamburger Minestrone Stoup

Made a fantastic dinner the other night of Hamburger Minestrone Stoup. The term "stoup", basically means a stew-like soup. Rachael Ray makes alot of them on her show--not sure if she actually coined the term though. My grandma used to make it for me, and I love it! It's good too with chopped up zucchini in it!

1 lb. ground beef (I prefer lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups water
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup uncooked broken spaghetti or elbow macaroni
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained--very important
grated parmesan cheese

Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic in dutch oven, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese.

Heat to boiling, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese on top. Makes 6 servings.

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This recipe can be doubled, and freezes well. Hope you all enjoy--comfort food is definitely a necessity when the weather is this chilly out!!