Italian Sausage Soup

original recipe ~ allrecipes.com

We love this soup!  Devin recently said it's the best soup I make.  I probably agree with that.  Also, this can be adapted for the crock pot.  Just transfer sausage to the crock pot after browning and add everything else.  Cook on low for... a while.  Ok, I've only tried this by transferring after cooking the carrots and putting it on "keep warm" for around 4 hours.  It was fine but the zucchini was a little crunchy for my taste.  Plus there happened to be too much of it that time.  Anyway, if I had only cooked the sausage and then put everything else in on low I'm sure 4 hours would have done the trick.

1 lb sausage
fennel*
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 1/2 c water
3 1/2 tsp beef base
1 can Italian-style petite diced tomatoes
2 c sliced carrots
1 can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 c baby spinach
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Brown sausage with fennel and garlic.  Stir in water, beef base, tomatoes, carrots, salt & pepper.  Reduce heat, cover & simmer 15 mins.  Stir in beans (w/ liquid) and zucchini.  Cover, simmer 15 more mins.  Remove from heat, add spinach and cover.  Let sit 5 minutes while hot soup cooks spinach before serving.


*The recipe actually calls for Italian sausage.  I can never find it so I always just use regular and add fennel - that's mostly what it is, right?  I've never measured the fennel; I just eyeball it.