Tortellini & Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients:
*1# italian sausage (casing removed) [use mild or hot depending on your preference]
* 1 T Olive Oil
* 4 carrots, chopped into 1 inch chunks
* 1 onion, chopped into small chunks
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 tsp basil (or 1 T fresh chopped basil)
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 zucchini, chopped into small pieces
* 1 15 oz can canellini beans
* 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
* 8 C chicken broth

Steps:
First, remove the sausage from the casings and brown the meat in a pot.
When brown, remove the meat to drain.

      

Next, add 1 T olive oil to the pan and add the carrots. Cook until carrots are softened.

Then add onions, zuchini, beans.  Add garlic, basil, and bay leaf.  Then add the tomatoes 

and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.  Add 2 cups tortellini & simmer 5-7 minutes.

The soup will look like this:

  

Add the sausage back into the soup.  Heat through: 

 

Serve!

**Note:  You can add spinach if you like, just as your heating the sausage.  Serve when spinach becomes wilted.