Supreme Pizza Soup

Aubrey Dorrough Maru

Serves 6    350 calories

8 oz bulk Italian sausage
1  3.5 oz package sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1  8 oz package fresh button mushrooms, chopped
3/4 cup chopped red and/or green sweet pepper (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped red onion (1 medium)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3  14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
1  14.5 oz can reduced-sodium chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup pitted black olives, halved
1   1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Croutons

1.  In large crock pot, cook sausage over medium heat about 10 minutes or until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks.  Remove sausage, reserving drippings in pot.  Drain sausage on a plate lined with paper towels.  Add pepperoni to drippings.  Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until pepperoni starts to  crisp.  Remove from pot, drain on plate lined with paper towels.
2.  In the same pot, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-low heat.  Add mushrooms, sweet pepper, and onion.  Cook about 10 minutes or until tender.  Remove vegetables, set aside
3.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to pot.   Add garlic, and crushed red pepper to the oil, cook about 30 seconds or until garlic is aromatic, stirring frequently.  Add sausage, pepperoni, cooked vegetables, tomatoes, broth, olives and Italian seasoning.  Bring to boiling, reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Top servings with cheese and croutons.