the best soup ever

Sice the beginning of fall I've been on a soup kick. I usually make a different soup each week. When I was visiting my friend Nina, we were discussing recipes, and she told me about The Culinary Couple's Tortellini Soup. I made it one night and it was AMAZING. Seriously. I couldn't stop talking about it or talking about it to people. It's fast, easy, full of fresh vegetables with some hearty meat to please the husband. I have made it twice and am ready to make it again. I told my mom, and she's made it twice in the past month. So yummy. You have to make it!!!  

Tortellini Soup

1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage (chicken or turkey sausage also works)

1 cup onion, chopped (I leave this out since my super-taster husband hates them.. I don't miss them)

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups beef broth

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup red wine

4 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup tomato sauce

1-2 zucchini, chopped

8 oz. cheese tortellini (can substitute another pasta)

1 package or 1 bag fresh spinach

1 tablespoon parsley

Parmesan cheese

1. In large pot, cook sausage ~5 minutes. Remove meat and set aside.
2. Add onion and garlic. Saute.
3. Add broth, water, wine, herbs, tomato sauce, and vegetables (except zucchini and spinach), and sausage. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered ~30 minutes. 
4. Add zucchini, spinach, and tortellini. Simmer ~25 minutes. 
5. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread.