Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

I am a huge fan of two types of soups 1- The kind that you make in the slow cooker and 2- The kind that you can throw together quickly and simmer for less than 20 minutes.  This one falls into the second category.  When I made this the other night, I had to eat it and rush out the door to a meeting so I didn't get to hear everyone's comments and feedback.  I enjoyed the soup a lot, but I wasn't sure what my mother-in-law, father-in-law, and husband were going to think.  Well, 3 days later my father-in-law was still talking about how much he enjoyed it and was wondering when I was going to make it again.  He generally likes everything that I make.  He is by FAR the most critical member of the family.  If you likes something he lets me know and if he doesn't like something he also lets me know:)  I appreciate his feed back and I have learned to take his critiques as encouragement  so I appreciate his opinion.  Although sometimes he tries to get way to technical and we all laugh at him and keep eating.  

Ingredients:

• About 2 Cups of Baby Spinach
• 3 14 oz cans of Chicken Broth
• 1 lb of Mild Italian Sausage
• 1 can of Italian Seasoned Diced Tomatoes
• 4 oz Cream Cheese (not fat free, it won't melt) at room temperature and cut into cubes
• 1 small package of Frozen Tortellini

Serves 6

Cook, crumble 1 lb of bulk mild Italian Sausage.  Drain off excess grease.  In a large pot combine chicken broth, tomatoes (undrained), and cooked sausage.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med and add cream cheese.  Stir to combine and melt.  When cream cheese is melted throughout, add in spinach and tortellini.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until tortellini is cooked.

If you want this soup to be spicier, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and/or use HOT Italian Sausage.  

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Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Unlike Sherrie's family, we LOVE pasta and could eat it multiple times in one week. We have several great recipes that we make often, but this one spices it up a little bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Penne or Rigatoni Pasta
• 4 Pieces of Italian Sausage (either mild or hot)
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• half of a green pepper- chopped
• 32 oz of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I make my own. Maybe someday I will share the secret:)

First, I cook the sausage along with a little bit of water in a skillet over high heat.

After the sausage is cooked thoroughly, I remove the sausage and dump the grease. Then I put the green peppers in and cook them until tender.

While the peppers are cooking, start the water for the pasta, and slice the sausage into bite size pieces.

When the peppers are finished add them and the sausage to the sauce and heat through.

When pasta is cooked, mix with sauce, and pour into 9X13 baking dish top with Parmesan cheese and bake in oven for about 7 minutes. We serve ours with a salad and garlic bread. I always top mine with a little extra Parmesan and a shake of red pepper flakes for an extra kick! My family likes this dish because we can make it as spicy as we like and the adults and kiddos are both happy:)

This recipe was featured in Two Magical Moms March Menu Madness and our Appetizing April Menu.  Check out the menus and try out some of our other YUMMY recipes!