Tortellini Soup

So, a few different people have asked me for this recipe, and I figured it would make sense to put it on my blog, because then it can be accessed pretty easy...(plus, it might attract more people to read my blog)...and, I'm thinking about adding some cooking stuff to my blog, maybe telling people about my journey in cooking.

So, here goes!

Growing up, my mom cooked all the time. I didn't realize how great she was at it until I was in middle school. We would all take turns hosting our team(volleyball, soccer, basketball...) over for dinner before games and everyone would rave about how great of a cook my mom was. I had taken advantage of it my whole life-not realizing her amazing food wasn't the norm.

She used to make this recipe for cold days, and I have always loved it. I'm a sucker for pasta in any form, but this makes it a little healthier with all the veggies and not quite so heavy and filling(don't get me wrong though...it's completely satisfying!)

I am a huge fan of a good hearty soup, and this is one of those, so I hope you enjoy!

Tortellini Soup

2 TBSP EVOO

1 small onion finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 green pepper chopped into small pieces

3 stalks of celery chopped

1 large zuchini chopped

1 large yellow squash chopped

2 links of italian sausage, pre-cooked and cut into bite-size pieces(I've used both chicken and regular sausage and both taste great)

1 box of chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water

1 TBSP Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp ground oregano

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1 small package of any type of tortellini you like(I prefer a cheese-filled)

parmesan to sprinkle

1.) Heat the 2 TBSP EVOO in the bottom of your large soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and cook until tender and the onion is almost translucent.

2.) Add all the veggies and season with some salt and pepper, cook for about 2 minutes

3.) Add all of the seasonings to your cooked veggies

4.) Add the sausage in and once it's heated through, add the chicken stock. Add 1/2 cup of water at a time until you get the consistency that you want for your soup. ie: if you like yours really chunky, put less water; if you like it really soupy, add more...

5.) bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 mins.

6.) add your tortellini to your soup about 8-10 minutes before serving(test one before you serve to make sure it's cooked through)

7.) serve hot with a sprinkle of parmesan and a crusty bread.

Serves about 6(but I like big servings!)

The veggies in my soups are interchangeable if you like others. ie: I added green beans this last time I made it, and enjoyed it a lot!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and feel free to share my blog with others!