Tortellini Sausage Soup

Prep Time:  1 hour

4 links Italian sausage
8 cloves minced garlic
2 onions, diced
1 cup water
4 cans chicken broth
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
29 oz. can diced tomatoes
15 oz. can tomato sauce
6 medium carrots, sliced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
4 medium zucchini, sliced
2 - 10 oz. packages of frozen cheese tortellini
1/4 cup dried parsley

1.  Remove the casings from the sausage and crumble in a large soup pot.  Cook sausage over medium heat and drain half-way through cooking.  Add chopped onions and garlic and continue cooking until sausage is no longer pink.

2.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, apple juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano and basil, parsley and zucchini.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3.  Add the tortellini and cook until tender.

Makes 12 servings.

This is one of my family's favorite soups.  It has a great flavor and is very filling.  I serve this soup with oatmeal muffins.