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.

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

Barbara Creer

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 c. coarsely chopped onion
2 coves garlic, sliced
5 c. beef broth
1 c. water
2 c. chopped tomatoes
1 c. sliced carrots
1/2 tsp. basil leaves
1/2 tsp. oregano
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini
8 oz. frozen tortellini
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 medium chopped green pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

If sausage comes in casing, remove.  In large soup pot, brown sausage.  Remove from pan and let drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan.  Saute onions and garlic in drippings until onions are tender.  Add broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce and sausage.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, 30 minutes.  Skim fat from soup.  Stir in zucchini, tortellini, parsley and chopped green pepper.  Simmer, covered and additional 30 to 40 minutes or until tortellini are tender.  Sprinkle Parmesan on top of each serving

Zuppa Toscana Soup

As good as Olive Garden’s         Kristy Dorrough

1 lb hot Italian sausage 4 cans chicken broth 5 fairly large potatoes, cubed 3 cloves minced garlic 1 large onion, diced 1 bunch kale, chopped 3½ c half & half salt & pepper to taste Directions: In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain well. Remove from pan and set aside. Put broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.