Tuscan Soup

INGREDIENTS
* 6 cups chicken broth
* 1 onion, chopped
* 3 (3.5 ounce) links spicy Italian sausage
* 3 large potatoes, cubed
* 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
* 1/4 cup evaporated milk
* salt to taste
* ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove skin from sausage and crumble into frying pan. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. If you are trying to cut fat, remove meat from pan, place in a colander, and rinse under cold water.
2. Place meat in a large pot; add stock and potatoes. Boil until potato is cooked.
3. Add spinach. Continue boiling until spinach is lightly cooked.
4. Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk, and season to taste. Do not add any salt if using canned stock.

I chose this recipe because I was longing for a soup that used Italian sausage. I didn’t put a ton of spinach in the first time, because I knew that when we had it as leftovers it would be nice to add some fresh, so that it wouldn’t be soggy. It worked well. We served it with French bread (take and bake the first night and homemade last night).
The girls didn’t care for it, but they ate most of their mug-full when pushed. Richard liked it a lot. Next time I think I’ll put in more potatoes and cut them smaller. Also, I recommend taking out a cup or so of the potatoes and mashing them to thicken the soup.

Overall, a success. The Okimotos approve.

(I’m about to click Publish with fear and trembling….I wish I could preview…)

P.S. I doubled it and had two dinners, lunch for one, and a bowl still in the fridge left over.