Hearty Italian Soup - adapted from Southern Living

Here's the recipe for the Hearty Italian Soup, which I adapted from a Southern Living recipe. Hope you enjoy! ~ Stephanie

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) package mild Italian chicken sausage
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (48-oz.) container chicken broth
• 2 (15-oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1.5 cups mini pasta shells
  
• 1 (5-oz.) package baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
• Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti

Preparation

• 1. Cook chicken sausage in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove sausage from Dutch oven, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Sauté onion in hot drippings 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and return to Dutch oven.
• 2. Stir chicken broth and next 4 ingredients into sausage mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes.
• 3. Stir in spinach and next 2 ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese. Serve with Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti.

Recipe inspired by Kelly Mapes, Fort Collins, CO, Southern Living
OCTOBER 2011