Italian Sausage Soup

This is a recipe that my mom found in a Cooking Light Magazine. Every time she makes it, my dad says "This is the best thing you've made...ever." Of course, my mom has made the above picture Dad-appropriate. The tomatoes are pureed, and the spinach is left out. We add it to the bowls of people who want it, and ladle the soup on top. I have to warn you, we made the exact recipe and it was gone before anyone had seconds. The last time we made it, we doubled the recipe which was enough for dinner plus 2-3 leftover lunches. And this is great as leftovers. Enjoy!

My bowl of leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces hot or sweet turkey Italian sausage
• 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
• 1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta
• 2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preparation

• Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan.
• Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil.