Bacon Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is an Italian Vegetable soup,
in this recipe I used some rendered bacon for
adding a good tasting smokey depth of flavor.

Ingredients:
2 slices smoked bacon, chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 celery stalk, peeled and sliced
2 cups cold water
1 bay leaf
4 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
15 ounces red kidney beans, with liquid
1 cup small dried pasta

Directions:
Heat up a large soup pot on medium heat,
add in the chopped bacon and render the
fat for a minute or to then add in the
chopped onions, carrots and celery.
Let the vegetables heat up for a minute
then add in the cold water, bring to a boil.
Add in bay leaf and tomatoes, sugar, and salt.
Let soup simmer until vegetables are almost done.
Stir in can of kidney beans with juice and the
small pasta of your choice to the soup pot.
Let simmer for about 20 minutes, remove bay leaf.
Serve by the bowlful with a drizzle of
olive oil and some grated parmesan cheese.