tortellini soup...

The husband was feeling a little under the weather the other day, so being the good little wifey that I am, I whipped up a batch of tortellini soup.  Because soup cures all ailments, you know.

I kind of made it up as I went...turned out great!

This makes a fabulous base recipe.  You can swap out ingredients easily depending what you like or have on hand.  Hate zucchini?  Substitute a bell pepper.  No kidney beans in the pantry?  Use garbanzo beans instead.  Tons of ripe tomatoes?  Use fresh instead of canned. Want more spice?  Add Italian sausage.  Tons of possibilities here, people...

It's full of veggies and very filling.  I think we'll be enjoying this one a lot come fall.

Tortellini Soup

inspired by FamilyFun.com

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 cup baby spinach, chopped

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 large can tomato sauce

1 32 oz. carton reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 Tbs. Italian spice blend

Dash of red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

1 13 oz. package fresh or frozen tortellini (any filling flavor)

Directions:

Chop all of your veggies first, then heat olive oil in soup pot.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add onion, carrots, and celery.  Saute until onion is soft and translucent.  Add zucchini and cook 1-2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian spices, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper.  (We like our soup kind of thick and chunky, so if you want a thinner/broth-ier soup feel free to add a couple additional cups of liquid--water or chicken broth.)  Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes.  As with all soups, flavors deepen over time, so let it simmer longer if you like.  (I always like leftover soup better...)

Once it's almost time to serve, bring the soup back to a boil and add the spinach and tortellini.  Allow to cook according to the tortellini package directions...mine was only 3-5 minutes.  Once your pasta is tender, you're ready to eat!  Top with parmesan cheese, a few fresh herbs, and serve with crusty bread.