Welcome back to one of my favorite blogging days! I love my girl Cassie, and I think it's great that she puts out a Tasty Tuesday post every week. I love playing along with her, so I decided to pull up some of my old recipe posts that needed to be dusted off and see the light of day again. 
Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
 - 1 pkg Trader Joe's mirepoix mix {about 2 cups of chopped celery, onions and carrots}
 - 2 quarts reduced sodium chicken stock {2- 24oz containers}
 - 6 cups Trader Joe's Garden Patch vegetable juice {like V8 juice}
 - 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
 - 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
 - 1 tsp salt
 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
 - 2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced into half moons
 - 1 bell pepper, chopped
 - 1 10oz bag of baby spinach
 - 1 pkg of frozen cheese tortellini, frozen {I used Olivieri brand from Costco}
 - 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
 - Parmesan cheese and/or cheese croutons to garnish
 
Directions:
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, cook sausage and mirepoix mix until sausage is no longer pink.
 - Add chicken stock, vegetable juice, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
 - Add zucchini, peppers and spinach. cook 5-7 minutes or until pepper is tender.
 - Stir in tortellini and parsley, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
 - Top with parmesan or croutons {or both!} just before serving.
 
Makes about 9-10 servings, and is so, so good on a chilly fall day!
About 365 calories for 1.5 cups worth.
