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.

Pasta and Grilled Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Prep Time:  1 hour


Salad:
2 - 12 oz. packages of Wacky Mac or tri-colored noodles
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4 medium carrots, sliced
6 oz. can medium olives
2 bunches of broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
16 oz. package of frozen petite peas
2 chicken breasts, grilled and cubed

Sauce:
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dry mustard
3 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

1.  Boil the pasta until al dente (usually 1 - 2 minutes less than the package indicates.)  Add the broccoli, carrots,  and peas to the boiling pasta during the last 3 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse with cool water and place pasta and lightly cooked vegetables along with the raw vegetables and grilled chicken in a large serving bowl.

2.  Mix the sauce ingredients in a container with a lid and mix until fully blended.  Pour the sauce over the pasta and vegetables and serve.  (Can make the salad in advance and refrigerate until ready to eat.)

Servings:  8 - 10 main dish servings

I received this recipe from my neighbor, Melissa Adams, and our family loves this!