Thursday, January 20, 2011

Sausage Soup!

It is another bone chilling January day.  Large piles of snow at the corners of many streets make for using extreme caution whenever driving around a corner.  Now, this is a winter that we have not experienced for some time!  A perfect day to reach into my freezer for a previously made dinner ready to reheat.  This past Saturday a pot of hearty Sausage Soup had simmered on my stove.  Not the variety of soup that has a few veggies swimming in lots of broth, but the type of soup that makes a meal in itself.  Rice, Spinach, Carrots & Sausage along with Tomatoes - Yum! 

We enjoyed a large warm bowl, along with Rye Bread, for dinner on Saturday.  The remaining cooled Sausage Soup was placed into Ziploc containers, labelled and then stored in my freezer.  Yesterday, after a busy day, it was so easy to reach into my freezer before dinner for a container of this hearty soup.  It was defrosted and reheated along with 1 (14.5 ounce) can of College Inn Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth.  

Sausage Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage (removed from casings)
3 cans 14.5 ounces each Chicken Broth
     (I use College Inn Light & Fat Free.)
1 bag Baby Carrots (16 ounces)
1 can 14.5 ounces Diced Tomatoes, undrained 
1 box frozen Spinach, (thawed & drained)
1 Cup Rice (uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Method:
  1. Brown Sausage in skillet after removing from casings.  Break into pieces as meat browns.
  2. Place cooked meat in large pot or Dutch Oven.  Add Chicken Broth and heat.
  3. Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
**As this soup cools, the Rice absorbs the liquid.  When reheating I add 1 can broth.  

Does your family enjoy easy to make hearty homemade soup in the winter?  After listening to our local forecast, I'll be making more soups/stews for dinner in the weeks ahead. Brrr!  Tomorrow, Beef Stew will be bubbling away in my Slow Cooker.  :)

Enjoy!
Yummy!
                   

16 comments:

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

My husband would love this with the Italian sausage! And soup is so great in the winter months! Fills you up..and warms you! ♥

ann said...

I love the heartiness and the warmth of this soup. Delicious!

JG said...

Lavender Dreamer- Sausage Soup is the ONLY recipe that I make using Italian Sausage - because my Hubby gives it two thumbs up. Much tastier than our local "take-out". :)

ann- This soup is so hearty on a cold winter night and we've had many cold winter nights lately.

Barbara Bakes said...

We love a hearty soup too. I also love to freeze soups and pull it out for a warm, tasty, easy lunch. Sounds great.

Happy@Home said...

Mmm, that looks good. We love soup in the winter and there is something so satisfying about watching it simmer away and knowing that dinner is taken care of.
Yesterday I made split pea soup with some ham left from Christmas.

JG said...

Barbara Bakes- Definitely great to have homemade soup at our fingertips waiting in our freezers! :)

Happy@Home- Yum - Homemade split pea soup with ham simmering on the stove! That's very tasty!

Mary Bergfeld said...

This is perfect for a winter night. It sounds delicious and is easy to make. An unbeatable combination in my book. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Stacey said...

That sounds wonderful! I have one problem...my husband will not eat anything with chicken broth in it. Do you think beef or pork broth would work?

JG said...

Mary- Definitely easy & delicious.

Stacey- We all adapt to our family's tastes. :) Beef broth would probably be fine. I don't use it, because I always stock up on the chicken broth when "on sale" before Thanksgiving. Only time I use Pork Broth is when I use the ham bone for Split Green Pea Soup. My mom made mighty fine soups using tap water, so that would probably fit the bill even easier. Maybe just add a sprinkle or two Oregano &/or Basil to the water. Italian Sausage has spices, so it add flavors already. Hope this helps.

Cathy said...

Yum, I love a good, hearty soup on cold winter days. I always make a large pot and freeze some for busy days.

JG said...

Cathy- Homemade hearty soup and winter go together really well. :)

Rita said...

I make soup all the time and have never heard of sausage soup; my husband would be thrilled; keeping this recipe; thanks.

JG said...

Rita- Tastes great on a cold winter day! Enjoy! :)

Pam said...

That's one great soup! It's perfect for these cold snowy days. Nice and hearty and warming. We love Italian sausage so must try this. By mistake the other day, I bought original CI chicken broth. Could not believe how salty it was and will not do that again!

JG said...

Pam- We have had snowy days lately! I like the College Inn Light & Fat Free Broth. Salt + Cholesterol content are both things to watch. :)

Carol said...

Soup sounds great in this freezing cold, snowy winter! Your sausage soup is just perfect, nice and hearty! Looks delicious!