italian sausage soup

I love Italian wedding soup, but I was too lazy to look up a recipe for it, and I didn't have any orzo/pasta, and I knew that if I was going to serve soup for dinner, it had better be chock full of meat, or Mr. Improv would go on strike. Hence, pantry items, plus some fresh ground turkey & sausage, all put together in hearty & delicious soup.

I made this gluten-free by using GF oats and GF chicken broth. I also used chicken Italian sausage, which was a tasty option for any non-pork eaters. Oooh! And I discovered a way to cook meatballs that I loved. LOVED, I tell you.

sausage & brussels sprout soup

I took this, 100%, from Sunset Magazine's January 2008 issue (including the picture), and it really is what it claims: a perfect soup for late-winter, when brussels sprouts are in season. And my kids ate it. Promise. Actually, I had to take out the sausage because it was too spicy for them, but I cut up hot dogs for theirs and they ate that instead. The point is: they ATE brussels sprouts, something I hadn't done since my grandpa made me when I was seven.