3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef
1 large (or 2 small) onions, diced
1 green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced (or
    squeezed through a garlic press)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil
2 (28 ounce) cans plum tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) can dark red kidney beans
1 (16 ounce) cans cannelini (white kidney) beans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) can V-8 Vegetable Juice
1 pound elbow macaroni

Spread olive oil in the bottom of a large stock pot or kettle. Add ground beef and saut?until thoroughly browned, crumbling as it cooks. Add onions, pepper, celery, and garlic and saut?until they start to soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Roughly cut the tomatoes into chunks with a sharp knife and add them to pot. Add oregano and dried sweet basil. Add drained red and white kidney beans to pot. Add V-8 Vegetable Juice to pot. Add brown sugar to pot and stir until fully dissolved. Bring soup to a full boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Just before serving, boil elbow macaroni and drain according to the directions on the box, then stir into the soup.

Serve with grated cheese as a garnish, if desired.