photo credit: Nieve44/La Luz

This is a very delicious Italian soup that can be served in 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Preparation time is 15 while cooking time is 55 minutes.  This recipe has a total yield of 6 servings.  Each serving has 253 calories, 9g fats, 22mg cholesterol, 574mg sodium, 29g carbohydrates, 4.5g dietary fiber and 12.5g protein.

Ingredients

Sweet Italian sausage (casings removed) – 1 (3.5 oz) link
Onions (chopped) – 1 cup
Garlic (minced) – 2 cloves
Beef stock – 5 cups
Water – 1/3 cup
Red wine – 1/2 cup
Tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped) – 4 pieces
Carrots (chopped) – 1 cup
Dried basil – 1/2 teaspoon
Dried oregano – 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato sauce – 1 cup
Zucchini (chopped) – 1 piece
Cheese tortellini – 8 ounces
Green bell pepper (chopped) – 1 piece
Fresh parsley (chopped) – 1 tablespoon
Parmesan cheese (grated, for toppings) – 2 tablespoons

Directions

1.  Sauté the Italian sausage in a pot for 10 minutes over a medium high heat.  Stir occasionally until the sausages are well browned.  Drain the excess fats but leave at least 1 tbsp in the pot.  Sauté the garlic and onion on the sausage fat for 5 minutes.

2.  Pour the beef stock in the pot. Then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, carrots, oregano.  Pour water and add the wine.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 30 minutes while skimming the fat that may appear at the surface.

3.  Add the tortellini and the zucchini.  Then put the bell peppers and parsley to taste.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  When the tortellini is cooked, ladle into individual bowls.  Garnish each bowl with cheese.  Best served hot.

photo credit: Nieve44/La Luz

This recipe can make 8 servings.  Preparation time is 20 minutes while cooking time is 1 hour and 15 minutes.  The soup will be ready in 1 hour and 35 minutes.  Each serving has 324 calories.  Total fat content is 20.2g, cholesterol 50mg, sodium 1145mg, carbs 19.1g, protein 14.6g and total dietary fiber is 3.1g.

Ingredients

Sweet Italian sausage (casings removed) – 1 pound
Onion (chopped) – 1 cup
Garlic (minced) – 2 cloves
Beef broth – 5 cups
Water – 1/2 cup
Red wine – 1/2 cup
Tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped) – 4 large pieces
Carrots (thinly sliced) – 1 cup
Fresh basil leaves (packed) – 1/2 tablespoon
Oregano (dried) – 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato sauce – 1 (8 oz) can
Zucchini (sliced) – 1 1/2 cups
Fresh tortellini pasta – 8 ounces
Fresh parsley (chopped) – 3 tablespoons

Directions

1.  Brown sausage using a five quart Dutch oven.  Remove the sausage and drain.  Reserve one tbsp of the drippings.

2.  Use the drippings to sauté the garlic and onions.  Pour the beef broth, wine and water then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, Basil, oregano, and the sausage.  Stir the mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Leave it uncovered.

3.  Remove the fat from the soup.  Add the zucchini and parsley and stir.  Simmer again for another 30 minutes. Add the Tortellini.  Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese.  Serve hot.

photo credit: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML

Prep time for this recipe is 30 minutes and cooking time is 2 hours and 30 minutes.  It will be ready in 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Serving per recipe is 12.  Each serving contains the following nutritional values: 427 calories, total fat 19.9g, cholesterol 80mg, sodium 1728mg, carbs 36.3g, dietary fiber 4g, and protein 27.8g.

Ingredients:

Italian sausage (sweet) – 1 pound
Ground beef (lean) – 3/4 pound
Minced onion – 1/2 cup
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
Crushed tomatoes – 1 (28 oz) can
Tomato paste – 2 (6 oz) cans
Canned tomato sauce – 2 (6.5 oz) cans
Water – 1/2 cup
White sugar – 2 tablespoons
Dried basil leaves – 1 1/2 teaspoons
Fennel seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Italian seasoning – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1 tablespoon
Ground black pepper – 1/4 teaspoon
Chopped fresh parsley – 4 tablespoons
12 lasagna noodles
Ricotta cheese – 16 oz
1 egg
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Mozzarella cheese (sliced) – 3/4 pound
Parmesan cheese (grated) – 3/4 cup

Directions

1. Put sausage, onion, garlic, and ground beef in a Dutch oven. Cook in medium heat until well brown.  Stir in water, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes.  Add sugar, fennel seeds, basil, and Italian seasoning. Put pepper, 1 tbsp salt, and 2 tbsp parsley.  Simmer and cover for 1½ hour. Stir occasionally.

2.  Boil lightly salted water and cook the lasagna.  After 8-10 minutes, drain noodles and rinse with cold water.  Place in a bowl and combine with Ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and ½ tbsp salt.  Then pre-heat oven to 190 degrees C (375F)

3. Spread 1½ cup meat sauce in a 9”x13” baking dish.  Arrange the 6 pieces of noodles lengthwise over the meat sauce and spread half of the Ricotta cheese mixture.  Top with Mozzarella cheese, spread the meat source, sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan.  Repeat the layers and top with Mozzarella cheese.  Spray foil with cooking spray and cover.

4.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and re-bake for another 25 minutes. Cool before serving.