Cannellini Beans with Bacon, Vegetables, and Tomato

Step 1: Bacon ... Add the bacon to a cold saute pan and bring to medium heat. If you render the bacon slowly, you won't need to add any additional oil. Slowly render the bacon, until it starts to crisp up.

Step 2: Vegetables ... After the bacon has started to render, and there are some drippings in the pan; add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. You don't want the heat too high, or the garlic can burn. Continue to cook until the bacon is completely crisp, and the vegetables are tender (about 7 minutes in all). If necessary, you can add a drizzle of olive oil; but, I usually don't find that necessary.

Step 3: Beans and Tomatoes ... Add the beans, 1/2 cup broth, tomatoes, and a pinch of both salt and pepper to the bacon and vegetables, and mix to combine. Cook 5 minutes until everything is heated through. If it seems a bit dry as it cooks, add a bit more broth.

Step 4: Finish ... Add the sage, parsley, and season once again with salt and pepper if necessary. Keep a little parsley for a garnish.

Step 5: Serve and ENJOY! ... Transfer to a serving bowl, and top it off with Feta cheese and a few parsley leaves. As mentioned, this is a fantastic side dish; but, it is also a nice main dish. You could easily add more bacon if you wanted to make it more of 'hearty main dish.' This is a great money saving recipe, that still has tons of flavor.