Italian Sausage (or Saus-eeeg, as we like to say) Soup

This soup is a meal. It's thick and hearty, and you will want to eat three bowls. (Doh! Did  did I just say that out loud?) Top it with some freshly grated parmesan cheese and a piece of crusty Italian bread and you're good to go. Before dinner, our grandma Rose would take the Italian bread and smack it on the kitchen table. That was her way of knowing that it was good loaf of bread...and she'd also get a kick out of scaring the bajesus out of us. We'd jump and she'd laugh, and her laugh was as hearty as the soup. We'd all crack up and then argue about who got the "elbow" of the bread. For some reason that’s the piece we all wanted. I think it was because that was grandma's favorite piece. Luckily, she always had enough bread on hand (or elbow) for all of us. —Lisa 

You'll Need:

½ lb hot sausage  (I like hot sausage but you can use sweet or a combination of both.) Remove casing.

2 cups cabbage, chopped

1 package frozen mixed peppers

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 qt chicken stock

1 qt tomato juice

½ lb pasta (I used penne, but you could use ditalini) 

8 oz can white beans

Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, brown sausage and keep chopping up with wooden spoon. Drain. Add cabbage, peppers, garlic, and sauté until cabbage is wilted and peppers are softening.  Add stock and tomato juice.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add pasta and beans. Cook until the pasta is done. 

Garnish with cheese and a piece of Italian bread. (And don't forget to whack the loaf on the table before dinner. Your family will know you mean business!)