A Soul-Warming and Satisfying Soup

This is how I feel waiting out the Arctic blast that hovers over the state. Even Bella sticks her nose out the door and decides being inside...not so bad. I know another bowl of soup will keep me warm.

Italian Sausage Spinach Tortellini Soup

Cook's notes: One of the best things about this soup recipe is its versatility with lots of options: Italian sausage or turkey sausage, green beans or peppers or cubed yellow squash, chicken broth or beef broth, cheese tortellini or tri color tortellini, spinach or cabbage, spices

Here is my version of this hearty rustic soup that works well for a main meal. It is also one of those soups that tastes better the second day.

Ingredients:

• 2 TB. olive oil
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• dash red pepper flakes
• 3/4 LB. Italian sausage
• 1 large carrot diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 2 stalks of celery diced
• 1-32 oz. container of chicken broth (low sodium and fat free)
• 2 fresh tomatoes diced and drained on a paper towel
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1- 6 oz. package baby spinach (remove stems)
• 1- 9 oz. package fresh or frozen tortellini
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with Rosemary, basil and oregano

Directions:

• In soup pot brown sausage and drain off fat-set meat aside on a paper towel
• In 2 TB. olive oil saute garlic and onions
• Add in zucchini, peppers, carrots, celery and chopped fresh tomatoes and continue cooking about 4 minutes
• Add in spices, meat, can of diced tomatoes, broth, water  and simmer on medium low covered 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender
• Add in tortellini and spinach and cook uncovered 10 more minutes  

Note:To serve soup on a second day the tortellini will have absorbed liquid much like the previously posted chicken noodle soup so will need to add more broth