Family Day Feast: Savory Sausage Soup…

Families. They challenge us. They shape us. They define us. Here in Ontario, Canada, we’re celebrating Family Day today. Although not a statutory holiday, Family Day was originally created to give people a day off to spend with their families because of the long period of time between New Year’s Day and Good Friday. Common Family Day activities include skating, playing hockey, snowboarding/skiing, snow shoeing, and going to various winter festivals. So I figured, after a day spent doing fun things with your family, there’s nothing better than coming home to a big crock pot of homemade savory sausage soup!

What you Need:

1½ pounds sweet Italian sausage

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small onions, chopped

2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes

1¼ cups dry red wine

5 cups beef broth

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 zucchini, sliced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 (16 ounce) package spinach fettuccine pasta (or plain, whatever your heart desires)

Salt and pepper to taste

What you Do:

IN a large pot, cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Drain fat from pan, reserving 3 tablespoons. If desired, instead of ground sausage, cut sausages in thin slices.

COOK garlic and onion in reserved fat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, broth, basil, and oregano. Transfer to a slow cooker, and stir in sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, and parsley.

COVER, and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours.

BRING pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Break pasta into smaller pieces, then cook in boiling water until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain water, and add pasta to slow cooker. Simmer for a few minutes, and season with salt and pepper before serving.

SERVE topped with grated parmesan.

This is a fantastic soup to serve to your crew, and freezes well. Salad, hard rolls, and wine (red or white) complete this meal! You can make it 24 hours ahead of time without the noodles and wait to add noodles until soup is reheated for serving. Whatever you decide to do this Family Day (or any other holiday), enjoy your time with your loved ones, and cherish the memories you create! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!