Tuscan White Bean & Garlic Soup

This is a Giada De Laurentiis soup that I saw her make a while back. Its been on my foodnetwork online recipe box for a long time. It was so good and only took a few minutes! Sorry about the picture...I know you can barely see the stinkin' soup!

2 Tbs butter

1 Tbs olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 sage leaf

2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans (tuscan white beans) drained and rinsed

4 Cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 C cream

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

ciabatta bread sliced

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

parmesan for topping

Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pot. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back into the soup pot, add the cream and pepper. Keep warm, covered over very low heat.

Now prepare crostini (see recipe for my crostini). Serve soup topped with parmesan cheese.

I omitted the sage. I made this on a whim for lunch the other day and did not have fresh sage on hand. It was wonderful though...so if you hate sage, make it without! Oh, also...the cream can always be substituted.