Another great soup from the book, Farm Chicks in the Kitchen. I was just so surprised to see how much of this soup my 10-year-old son ate–I think 3 helpings! Probably the most healthy thing he’s gorged on in a long time. 

The quality of this simple soup depends largely on the quality of sausage you buy as well as the quality of Tortellini. Choose the best you can for a really terrific soup!

Tortellini & Italian Sausage Soup

5 mild Italian Sausages (about 1 lb.)
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion (about 1 1/2 c.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. dried Italian seasoning (I used prepared pesto instead)
6 c. chicken broth
3 14.5 -oz. cans Italian-style diced tomatoes pureed in a blender
1 20-oz. bag frozen cheese tortellini (I’ve used Trader Joe’s bagged tortellini, too)
[I added about 2 c. of chopped kale, too]

Cook the sausages: Heat the sausages and 1 c. of water in a large covered skillet over medium-high heat; lower the heat to medium and steam until the sausages are cooked through–10-12 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a plate; discard any water remaining in the skillet. When they are cool enough to handle, cut the sausages into bite-size pieces. Heat the skillet over medium heat, add the sausage pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned–3-4minutes. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. [Instead, I removed the sausages from the casing and just cooked them, breaking them up as I cooked, until browned.]

Make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until softened–3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning; cook 1 minutes. Stir in the broth and tomatoes; bring to simmering. Stir in the sausage and tortellini; cook until the tortellini is tender–10-12 minutes. Serve, passing the parmesan at the table.

I checked this book out of the library again for this recipe, and we all love it! In fact, I didn’t take a picture before we sat down to eat, and after dinner, it was all gone. So, no picture for now, and although this is more of a fall or winter recipe, I have to record it before I forget it! I got it from the great little book, Farm Cooks in the Kitchen. 

Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

• 5 T. butter (1 T. for sauteing, 4 T. for cream sauce)
• 1/3 c. diced celery (I doubled this)
• 1/2 c. carrots (I also doubled this)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped, about 1/2 c.)
• 4 c. chicken broth (1-32 oz. carton)
• 1 c. water
• 3/4 c. wild rice
• 2 c. cooked turkey (diced, about 1 pound)
• 6 T. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 t. ground poultry seasoning (I used Trader Joe’s Seasoning Salute)
• 1 1/4 c. half and half
• 2 T. white wine (optional, but soooo good with it!)
• 3 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. ground black pepper

Make the soup:
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onions, sauteing until softened – about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, water, wild rice, and turkey. Bring to a boil; then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make the cream sauce:
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the flour and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl and then add to the butter; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the half-and-half and cook until slightly thickened – about 1 minute. Stir the sauce into the soup. Stir in the white wine, bacon, salt, and pepper. Serve. 

Yield: Only enough for my family of seven (six eaters) to have once!