Italian (Turkey) Sausage Soup

Great for those busy mornings or too-hot-to-cook days. Sometimes I use half the package of sausage to stretch the budget and it's still great. I've also doubled the seasonings for an extra kick. *NOTE* The recipe should say "pepper jack cheese" in the toppings.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1  medium onion, cut into wedges
• 1 (1 1/2lb) package  Italian turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄4 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon basil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or sweet red pepper flakes)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

• Toppings

•  monterey jack pepper cheese
•  parmesan cheese
•  crumbled  cracker

Directions

1. Place vegetables, broth, tomatoes, and meat in crockpot.
2. Stir in spices.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours until veggies are tender.
4. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with desired toppings.
5. *For stove-top method* Remove sausage from casings, dice onions, and chop potatoes into bite-sized chunks.
6. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of oil (I use extra virgin olive oil) into a large pot. Over med to med-hi heat, add in meat, using wooden spoon to help break it up into smaller pieces.
7. Once sausage has browned, add in onions (if desired, use some freshly minced garlic and add here). Saute' for a few minutes until softened.
8. Pour in tomatoes, broth, and stir in the seasonings (omit garlic powder if using fresh garlic). After liquid comes to a bubble, drop in the potatoes, reduce heat, and cook until potatoes are at desired tenderness.
9. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with desired toppings.