LIFE WITH LYNN


Sharing and enjoying my small-town life with my darling husband, family, friends,
faith, two adorable Ragdoll cats and one very sassy Yorkie!


Sunday, November 28, 2010

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND SQUASH SOUP (Best. Soup. Ever!!!)

















We love soup.  All kinds of soup.  And especially in the winter... hot, delicious, homemade soup just seems to warm us up from the inside out.

Well, I made a new recipe yesterday (Italian Sausage and Squash Soup) that just may be my new favorite soup recipe. Really!  So easy, yet so *different*.  And simply perfect for these c-c-c-cold PA nights!  (Served with hot, crusty artisan bread, I think I could've eaten the whole pot myself!)

My husband LOVED it, too.  Gave it his ultimate compliment: "It's cruise ship good!"  LOL!

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND SQUASH SOUP 
1lb. bulk Italian sausage
2Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 1⁄2cups diced onion
2Tbsp. minced garlic
1butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks 
1⁄2tsp. red pepper flakes
2cups low-sodium chicken broth
2cups water
1cup diced red bell pepper
1⁄2cup heavy cream
1tsp. ground dried sage
1tsp. sugar
2cups packed baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3Tbsp. brandy

Salt and black pepper to taste
Brown sausage in 1 Tbsp. oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Sweat onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add squash and pepper flakes, and saute 5 minutes.

Stir in broth and water, bring to a boil, and simmer until squash is very soft, about 10 minutes. Puree soup with a hand blender (or in batches in a standard blender), then add bell pepper, cream, sage, and sugar; simmer until bell pepper is tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in spinach, brandy, and sausage, and simmer until spinach wilts and sausage is heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

1/14/11 ADDENDUM


So my tricky big sister, Laurel, had a great idea that I just had to share,
She used Trader Joe's butternut squash soup (in the box) as a short-cut base for this soup.  Then stirred in all additions as per the recipe.
I tasted it myself and I must say, it was good -- darn good! 
So tuck that li'l time-saving trick under your cap, and if you try it, think of my oh-so-smart sister!   ;o)

Recipe and photo From Cuisine at Home

5 comments:

  1. this sounds yummy! i'm going to have to try this and the cajun shrimp casserole! i need a few new recipes to add to my repertoire.

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  2. One of my good friends just made it and said it was, in her and her family's opinion also, the BEST. SOUP. EVER! I hope you love it, too!

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  3. Just curious if you know the calorie count? This soup is delicious and I imagine it isn't too bad...

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  4. Kristin,
    I don't know the answer to your question. But it shouldn't be too hard to figure out, using one of the many calorie counter websites on the Internet. You just log all the ingredients and then specify serving size and get the calorie count. Most of them also provide a nutrition profile too. Hope this helps!

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  5. 364 calories per cup...
    Nutrition information: Per cup: 364 cal; 27g total fat (15g sat); 100mg chol; 453mg sodium; 17g total carbs; 3g fiber; 11g protein

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