Tortellini Soup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place sausage on a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Let it cool slightly and then slice the sausage into 1/2″ slices. Set aside.

Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to a medium sized fry pan. Begin by sauteeing the onion until it is slightly clear, add the minced garlic cloves, mushrooms and spinach. Add salt and pepper. Slice the roasted red peppers horizontally to make pieces about 1/2″. Add the peppers to the pan with the other vegetables. Turn off heat once the spinach has wilted (about 3 minutes). Set aside.

Boil about 3 quarts of water to cook the tortellini. Cook about 5 minutes or according to package instructions. Don’t overcook. Drain the pasta in a colander. Set aside.

Use the same pot you cooked the pasta in and add the chicken stock. Place on medium flame. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and the sauteed vegetables to the pot, along with the chicken sausage. Finally, add the cooked tortellini. Cook on medium flame for 3-5 minutes until everything is heated through. Add additional salt to taste. Top with parmesan cheese. Serve up with some crusty bread.