Italian Sausage Soup - from Linnen

1 lb. Italian sausage, mild or hot depending on you taste (I use hot), sliced.
Olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced into rings
Celery, 2 ribs
Garlic, 1 clove, minced

Sauté the sausage in a tbsp. or two of oil in a stockpot. Add onion, celery, and garlic, cook until lightly browned.

Add:

Chicken broth, 2 quarts
Tomato paste, 1 tbsp.
Oregano, pinch
Basil, pinch
Zucchini, 2 or more, sliced
Few leaves of chard (not red), spinach, or even cabbage, cut into long slivers

Add the broth, tomato paste, seasonings, and additional vegetables, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours or more. Serve with lots of grated fresh parmesan cheese.

I've varied this in many ways, depending on what vegetables are available, and on how many carbs my budget will allow. Mushrooms are a good addition, as are sliced fresh grean beans. The original recipe called for canned tomatoes. Although I prefer the paste, I sometimes add some chopped tomato if I have leftovers. I occasionally add diced leftover meat or poultry, also. The sausage provides quite a bit of seasoning, so you should probably taste before adding additional seasoning. I sometimes add red pepper flakes if I want more zip.

This makes an appealing meal on a chilly day, and leftovers are wonderful to have in the refrigerator.