Italian Tortellini Soup

When we were first married, we went tailgating and Kathy Karabelski made this delicious soup. Years later, it's still a favorite, and it's a perfect farmer's market concoction. (Speaking of which, I love the new Metro Health Farmer's Market!)


Saute 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage in a large pot/Dutch oven on medium heat, crumbling into small chunks. Remove with slotted spoon and pour off all but 1 Tb. of drippings. Add 1 cup chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves, and saute til golden brown.
Return sausage to pot and add 5 cups of beef broth (I use the bouillon cubes). Add 1 large can of diced tomatoes in juice, 1 sliced zucchini, sliced carrot, and diced green pepper. Add 1/2 cup of dry red wine, and 1 Tb. of dried oregano and basil. Simmer all this until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.



Add an 8-10 oz. package of cheese tortellini and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Voila!