Friday Yummies: Simple soup

I rarely use recipes for soups. This is one that I made last weekend when we had company and since it received good reviews I wrote down what I had done so I could replicate it in the future.

Simple Autumn Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
4 links Italian sweet sausage, casings removed -- or about half a pound of bulk sausage
1 Vidalia onion, chunked
8 white mushrooms, chopped
3 large carrots, sliced in chunks
2 cans diced tomatoes (I use no salt added)
1c. frozen corn
3c. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
(NOTE: all amounts are approximate)

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven (use medium heat). Add onion and stir for about two minutes. Add mushrooms and stir for another two minutes. Add sausage and, as it browns, break it up into small pieces. Continue to stir and cook until the sausage is lightly browned and cooked through.

Add the carrots, diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and add the corn. Cover and let the soup simmer over LOW heat for about an hour. Longer is fine, just make sure that the heat is on low. After the soup has been simmering for a little while, maybe 20 minutes, give it a taste and see if it needs salt or pepper. Mine needed a little of both, but little else.

This recipe makes 4-5 hearty entree-sized servings.

** You could also use turkey sausage or vegetarian sausage in this recipe. I'm very interested in trying it with the veggie sausage so if anyone has any recommendations on veggie sausage, please share!

Have a great weekend, everyone!