Tortellini Soup

I am not an amazing cook by any standard so you better believe if I post a recipe it will be super easy and super delicious. This particular recipe is a Fall favorite for my husband and I.  I think any man would love this soup because it has sausage. Man plus sausage equals happy. Gregg's aunt and cousin made this for us when Em was born and I had to have the recipe.  Trust me, you will crave this every year from now on. 

A huge bonus of this recipe is it calls for zucchini which everyone has oodles of this time of year.  Well, except for me.  Last year I was with a group of women and they were talking about their abundance of zucchini.  One shared that if you saw someone buying zucchini this time of year to go give them a hug because they didn't have any friends.  Hilarious except for the fact that I had just bought a zucchini the week before. :/  This year I was given a ginormous zucchini by a friend so at least I have gained one friend since last year.  I know they're better smaller, but I like to think the bigger the size you receive reflects how much that friend loves you.  So yeah, she must really like me. 

The Goods:  What, you don't pose your ingredients before you cook?

Tortellini Soup

1 lb mild Italian Sausage

1 onion chopped (I'm allergic to onions so I skip this)

2 cloves garlic

1 C. Water 

2 (13 3/4oz) cans of beef broth 

1/2 C. Apple juice

3 carrots sliced 

1 can crushed tomatoes (I could only find a big can so I used about 3/4 of it)

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 C. sliced zucchini 

4 Tbls parsley chopped

1 green pepper chopped

8 oz cheese tortellini (I have only found this at select grocery stores. Not Walmart)

Fresh Parmesan cheese if desired

In a large soup pan, brown sausage.  Drain fat and add onion and garlic. Cook until tender. Add water, broth, juice, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, zucchini, parsley, and green pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes or longer if needed. Add tortellini 5-10 minutes before serving. Cook until tender, but not soggy. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese if you desire. 

The Final Product