Italian Wedding Soup

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup mild italian sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chicken breast, diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces acini di pepe pasta, cooked al dente (can substitute orzo)
• 4 cups chopped fresh escarole (can substitute fresh spinach)
• 1/2 cup grated romano cheese (can substitute parmesan)
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 hint: if you slightly freeze--for ten to fifteen minutes--the sausage and chicken before cutting, it makes the meat "cut like butter".
• 2 in a large stockpot over medium-high heat, saute sausage and chicken until cooked through. (you can add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil if pot becomes too sticky.).
• 3 add minced garlic and roasted peppers. simmer for one minute.
• 4 add chicken broth, basil and onion powder and bring mixture to a soft boil.
• 5 add cooked pasta and escarole and simmer until escarole wilts.
• 6 salt and pepper to taste.
• 7 ladle into bowls, and garnish each serving with one tablespoon cheese. you may also garnish with additional roasted red peppers, if desired.
• 8 do not add the pasta until right before serving, or it will get very large and mushy, absorbing most of the liquid. if you make the soup in advance, omit the pasta until ready to serve. heat the mix first, add the cooked pasta, and continue until heated through.