Fall Pinic - Italian Sausage Soup

 We recently took a picnic to a local apple farm/pumpkin patch. It was a gorgeous day and just perfect for this delicious soup. We also brought a BBLT panini, but you'll have to wait for that recipe in a few days.

The soup was so simple to make that I, as in, the non-cook, made it the day before. The morning of our picnic I just took it out of the fridge and reheated it.

The farm was packed but we managed to find a shade tree off by ourselves. We brought out the blankets, pillows, and wine. We breathed in the fresh air, shared a delicious lunch, and just enjoyed each others company. I don't think it could have been more awesome. We watched families hunting for that perfect pumpkin and listened to Ole McDonald way too many times as the hayride passed us.

We made a full batch of this soup and ate it for lunches the following week. It's really so good. I can't wait to make it again! Try it, it's amazing!

Italian Sausage Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage (we used hot and sweet)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth 
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes 
• 1 cup sliced carrots 
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained 
• 2 small zucchini, cubed 
• 2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

1. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
    
3. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.