SAUSAGE AND SPINACH SOUP

This Sausage and Spinach Soup is great anytime. We love it with my recipe for fried cornbread. I love having soup made and in the refrigerator that I can reheat for lunch. This is good with grilled cheese, too, or just add your favorite shredded cheese on top of the soup.

• 1 (14 ounce) package Smoked Sausage, sliced in rounds (Could use Italian or Polish, too)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium sized carrots, scraped and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can red beans, drained and rinsed (could use pintos or even navy beans)
• 1 cup small pasta shells (could use whatever pasta you like)

Brown the sausage in the olive oil. Drain if needed. In a large pot combine sausage, chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery and spices. Add the beans and bring to boil, turn down to simmer and let cook until carrots and celery are cooked. This takes about 20 minutes. Add pasta shells and baby spinach and cook 10 to 15 more minutes until pasta is tender. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts of soup. Keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. Enjoy!

© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder