Sausage and Cheese Tortellini soup

My last year in college at MSU was a somewhat miserable living experience.....I was supposed to live with a friend and her friend, but she graduated and her friend moved in with her boyfriend (and of course we had already signed a lease). This meant that I lived in our townhouse with two subleasers, and we weren't exactly compatible.

However, one of the few good things that came from living there was a soup recipe. My roommate would make it on winter nights, and it was such a comfort food after tromping across the snowy campus. It's simple and good and tasty, and the recipe makes a lot, and you can freeze it! What more could you ask for?

1 large onion, diced
1-4 cloves of garlic, minced (the original recipe uses 1 clove, but I love garlic, so I use it liberally)
1 lb Italian sausage (I use a mixture of sweet mild Italian sausage and hot)

44 oz beef broth (approximately 3 14.5 oz cans)
28 oz diced tomatoes (I use Hunt brand)
8 oz tomato sauce (I use Hunt brand)
1 cup red wine (I find merlot is best, I frequently use Yellow Tail Merlot, or Shiraz)
2 carrots, peeled, sliced and quartered
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning (I use store brand or McCormicks)

2 zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 9 oz package of cheese tortellini (I use Burtoni brand)


In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, saute onion, garlic and sausage until it is crumbled and no longer pink. Drain fat and return to pan.

Add beef broth, diced tomatoes (and juice), tomato sauce, wine, carrots, sugar and italian seasoning. Once the soup starts boiling, reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Add zucchini and cheese tortellini, and cook 10 minutes until zucchini and tortellini is tender.

Serve with shredded parmesan and crusty bread.

Variations:

Vegetarian: substitute vegetable broth for beef broth, and omit the sausage. Saute the onions and garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil for a few minutes until opaque and tender. The vegetarian version is okay, but doesn't compare to the original.

More stew like: Substitute 28 oz crushed tomatoes instead of diced, and tomato paste instead of tomato sauce. This makes it thicker and rich, more like a spaghetti sauce base instead of a tomato broth base.

Enjoy!