Anyone in the Mood for Italian?

Have I mentioned before that I love my life? And here's reason #234,688: My husband cooks. He washes dishes, too, which is one of the things that makes me crazy about him. And what makes him even cuter is that he will not use a recipe, but insists on making up his culinary creations as he goes, his main goal being to impress the kids & me so much that we'll declare throughout the meal that he has, once again, outdone himself. And this is exactly what happened Saturday. His latest creation was so good, that I made him write down the recipe for me so I could post it for you all. The kids wanted to call it Dad's Secret Recipe Soup, but I think I'll call it "Yes, I'll Fly to Italy With You for the Weekend" Stew. Yeah, it's yummy.

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 lb ground Italian sausage

4 cans chicken broth

2 cans Great Northern beans

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 can diced tomatoes

8 oz. shell pasta or cheese tortellini

1-5 oz bag baby spinach

salt to taste

In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add Italian sausage & cook until it's no longer pink. Add chicken broth, beans, garlic, & spices. Let simmer for 15 minutes on low to medium heat. Add pasta & cook until tender. Reduce heat to low & add spinach leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes more, then serve topped with parmesan. Feeds 6-8 people.