Sausage & Tortellini Soup

I have a confession: I kind of hate January-March. Every year I try to rally and make the best of these three months that are stretching out ahead of us, but it's so hard for me. It gets dark so early, I miss the warm sunshine, there's not usually any holidays/time off from work, and I just long for spring and summer. Since there's nothing to be done about this wintery first quarter of the year, I try to focus on the (few) positives: cozy evenings at home, taking time to purge and organize every last closet of the house, and of course endless bowls of warm soup or chili. This soup is pretty easy to throw together, but it is quite hearty with the tortellini, sausage, and vegetables--perfect for a cold, January night.

Sausage & Tortellini Soup
1 pound mild Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (6 oz) can tomato past
1 1/2 cans of water (use the empty tomato paste can)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup diced carrots
1 green pepper, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
16 oz bag of frozen cheese-filled tortellini
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot brow the sausage, crumbling it with the backside of a spoon until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove sausage from pot and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Cook onion and garlic in same pot, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add broth, tomato paste, water, seasonings, and carrots. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce head, add sausage back to the pot, and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

Add the peppers, zucchini, and tortellini, and cook for 10 more minutes, or until tortellini are tender. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

source: recipe from Life with Truth

Pasta Fagioli Soup

I posted yesterday about how I plan my meals, and I realized that I had not yet shared this recipe. This soup is really easy to throw together (we're talking 18-20 minutes, tops), and it so, so delicious. After taking a few bites, Caleb declared this was the best meal we had eaten in a while. I'd say that's a win! This has found its place in my fall/winter meal rotation. I served it with pumpkin cornbread, a recipe I'll be sharing soon!

Pasta Fagioli Soup
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups water
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, cut into strips
Parmesan cheese, for topping

In a large saucepan, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion in the oil until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute longer.

Add the water, beans, tomatoes, broth, macaroni, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Reduce heat to low; stir in sausage and spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 5-6.

source: Light & Tasty, August/September 2007

Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup

The weather around here lately has been fluctuating from cold and rainy to the mid-70s. I would rather stay with the mid-70s, but the cold winter nights are perfect for dinners of soup and warm bread. My mother-in-law made this soup over Christmas, and I immediately added it to my to-make-asap list. The original recipe makes a TON, so I've adjusted the quantities to serve 6-8. I also don't really like watery soups, so I decreased the liquid. The great thing about soup is that it's easy to play around with until you get results you're pleased with. 

Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1/2 lb frozen spinach, defrosted
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 lb orzo pasta
1/2 of a 19 oz package Italian sausage, casings removed, cooked, and crumbled
crushed red pepper (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add garlic, basil, and oregano and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, water, spinach, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to medium.

Add in the cooked sausage and the orzo; cook for 12-15 minutes, or until orzo is tender. Season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.

source: recipe adapted from babble

Chicken Enchilada Soup

We have been eating so much soup lately!  I love turning on Christmas music and chopping up everything to have a big pot of simmering dinner on the stove.  The temperatures have really dropped here in the last couple of weeks, so a bowl of hot soup and some fresh bread has been the perfect dinner for us.  This soup is spicy!  Leave out the jalapenos if you can't handle the heat!

Chicken Enchilada Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 cups chicken stock
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
16 oz pepper jack cheese, grated

Heat olive oil in large pot.  Add green pepper, onion, and garlic, and saute for several minutes.  Add jalapenos and saute 2 more minutes.  Add chicken, chicken stock, spices, and tomatoes.  Simmer about 30 minutes covered, until tomatoes have begun to break down.  Add black beans and corn and stir to incorporate.  Add the pepper jack cheese and stir to melt; cook 20 more minutes.  Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips and cilantro, if desired.

source:  recipe adapted from Homemade by Holman

Meatball Ratatouille Soup

I admit I was a little nervous about this soup.  I don't like vegetables in soup that much (heck I don't even really like some vegetables out of soup), I don't usually like beef-broth based soups, and the night I had planned to make this I just wanted a big bowl of creamy mac & cheese.  But I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really liked this!  It had so much more flavor than I anticipated, and the medley of vegetables turned out to be really good.  This is a perfect way to get your kids (ahem, or wife) to eat vegetables.  We grated parmesan cheese on the top and served with freshly baked bread.

Meatball Ratatouille Soup

1 lb of meatballs, cooked through

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium zucchini, diced

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

10 oz beef broth + 10 oz water

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 bay leaf (I didn't have one)

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese to garnish

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a deep saucepan.  Add onion and green pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and meatballs and saute another minute.  Add zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.  Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

source:  salad in a jar