Italian Sausage Soup

Would you like some soup with your shells (and cheese)? Yes. We had such a great weekend. On Friday afternoon, we finished work around four (all U.S. ornament kits that were ordered before 10/29 are out now — woohoo! — overseas orders going out all this week), then we headed out to shop for a smaller downstairs bathroom sink. Found a cute one. Went to Thien Hong for salt-and-pepper squid. Stopped at Stumptown for a 7 p.m. latte because I couldn't stop yawning. Headed downtown to see Sufjan Stevens at the Schnitz. Had mind blown by show, cried at the end (couldn't help it). Went home, couldn't sleep, and stayed up until 3 a.m. finishing the saddest book, given to me last month by my friend Ken who returns to Portland today. Slept until 10 a.m. Saturday morning (latest sleep-in I can ever remember). Woke up and had lunch at Pioneer Place with Andy. Went shopping and generally banged around town doing nothing with Andy for first time in AGES (most excellent). Was made extremely delicious soup with garlic bread by Andy for Saturday-night dinner. Watched Shannen Doherty pumpkin movie (that's what we call it, and you know I love Brenda, Hallmark Channel, and giant pumpkins — almost forgot about my dream I had that one time — how weird that the dream had a bathroom in it, as I am now obsessed not with pumpkins but with bathrooms). Upstairs bathroom completely finished and we love it (pictures soon), downstairs is now gutted. It was a great weekend. Hope yours was, too!

Italian Sausage Soup
from Noteworthy: A Collection of Recipes from the Ravinia Festival

1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (hot or mild), cut in 1/2" slices
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
28 oz. canned Italian-style tomatoes with liquid
42 oz. beef broth
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4" slices
1 medium green pepper, seeded, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 cups shell noodles

Grated parmesan cheese

In large kettle, saute sausage until lightly browned. Drain and dicard fat. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are limp. Stir in tomatoes, breaking them up. Add broth, wine, and basil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add zucchini, green pepper, and parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes more. If you intend to serve and finish all of the soup in one sitting, add the 2 cups of shell noodles during that last fifteen minutes and cook until they are al dente. If we will have leftovers and want to reheat soup the next day, we cook the noodles separately (in broth, if you have any) and add them to the soup (the photo above is my bowl, to which he adds lots of noodles for me; Andy's bowl is more soup than noodles). I hate mushy, next-day noodles. If you don't (hate them), just add them to the soup the first night and simplify your life. Top with copious amount parmesan cheese.

Comments

[Mary Beth at ✄ Fabric U ✄]

That looks scrumptious. I'd have that with a pint of Guinness on the side.

[Elaine]

That's a good suggestion about cooking the noodles separately. I hate it when leftover soup becomes a casserole because the noodles soak up all the sauce.

[mari]

Mmm, sounds delicious. This has been added to my list of recipes to try. The inclusion of the zucchini will help to assuage my guilt about eating all the cheese and noodles.

[Alisa]

Yum!

[Mary]

I'm so going to try this!

A trick picked up from the America's Test Kitchen Cookbooks (they have a healthy family one now!) is to set aside what you are going to keep as leftovers at the add the noodles point. We usually split it in half - put that aside in a bowl to cool on the counter. Add desired amount of noodles to soup, cook until done. When cooking the "leftovers," add noodles and cook.

What I like about doing it this way is that it makes the leftovers easier to freeze and the next-day-soup tastes fresher. One of my favorite things about the ATC family cookbooks is the "make ahead" directions. If cooking for one or two, just halve at that point for two meals prepped.

Until I figured that out, I always wondered about "make ahead" recipes that basically had you doing all the work "ahead."

[Alice C]

Just a teeeny-weeeny bit jealous of the whole Sufjan Stevens experience.

Well...maybe a little bit more than teeeny-weeeny...

[Emily S]

Sounds like a great weekend! I've found that I often need a latte around 7ish. In addition to 3ish, noonish, and 7 in the morningish. I blame it on my 15 month old!

[Tanya]

Looks hearty and warm.

[Kathy]

Headed to the grocery store now! Soup tonight or tomorrow night.

[Kimberly]

Yum....soup...and-Oh.My.Goodness.I got my ornament kits(yes,I got all three) over the weekend and I can't wait to start them.I just hope I can do them justice!Thanks for making such great kits available!

[Dottie]

I have to laugh because I just finished that same book, and when I saw that you wrote "saddest book ever" One Day day popped to mind. So sad, yet so very very good!

And hoo boy does that soup look good!

[Kathryn]

Thanks for the soup recipe! Looks and sounds delicious! Sounds like a perfect weekend, and I love Hallmark movies too but I havn't seen one in such a long time...wonder if there on Netflix?

[Natalie VV]

More tweeny-weeny envy over here too!
So happy for you and your lovely weekend.

[Amanda]

Oh that soup sounds great. Can't wait to see the bathroom pictures!!!!

[Kathleen]

Yum! This recipe sounds a lot like my greandmother use to make. I loved going over to her house in the winter because she always has something good like this cooking on the stove. I can not wait to make yours.

[Melissa P]

Such a wonderful weekend! You deserved it after all that's been going on lately. Hope the week goes smoothly.

[Jessica]

We were at the Sufjan show too, and I pretty much bawled at the end. Even my hubby teared up a bit. Amazing! That soup looks really yummy, too!

[Lori]

Soup looks delicious!! I watched the Pumpkin Movie also, and loved it!!!!

[Judith Norman]

Yum! I'm going to try this recipe for sure. It looks like it would be a great dish for stay-at-home movie night. Thanks for sharing.

[rebekka]

Oh that just sounds out of control fabulous. Wow. Especially if it were hot (spicy). Spicy soup is like, cure-all I'm convinced.

[PrimroseBeresford]

I have to agree about the book. One of the saddest books I've read. But more than that, it's a very uplifting book too. Without giving the plot away, can't say too much more, except that it is definitely one to read.

Best wishes
Primrose

[vivian]

that soup sounds really good! I have to print out your recipe to try one day soon! I wonder how it would be with turkey sausage? I bet no one would know the difference!
have a great week!
vivian

[Lesley]

Will Sufjan Stevens EVER come to Perth, Western Australia?, so I can have a good cry at the end?
Sigh ...
Settling for the new album on my pod... sort of ...

[Christine Fior]

Hi Alicia, love your blog! The soup looks sooooo good! My bathroom is also gutted right now. Can't wait for it to be done! Have a good week! Chris

[Lil Bit Brit]

Looks absolutely yummy. Will have to try your recipe.

Love your blog.

Christy
Lil Bit Brit