It's soup weather

But don't worry - it will be back to popsicle weather by the weekend.

I made a pot of soup for dinner last night that was so tasty I decided I'd share the "recipe":

• 1/2 package of sausage (the breakfast kind, that you would form into patties before cooking)
• 1/2 an onion, diced
• 1 quart chicken stock
  
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
  
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (I used my newly-canned beans!)
• 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 or 3 big handfuls of baby spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook and stir the sausage and onion in a soup pot in a little olive oil until the sausage is broken up into smallish pieces and cooked through and the onion is softened but not brown. Add the chicken stock and stir up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the beans, thyme, red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes. Add the spinach and the parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve hot with cornbread. I'm sure you know that when you eat beans and grains (like rice or corn) together at the same meal, that it enhances the quality protein value of the meal. I have been feeling desperate for protein lately - eating things like boiled eggs for lunch and peanut butter toast for breakfast. This soup/cornbread supper filled me up and made me feel good inside.

I had a bowl of this soup for lunch today and it is even better the second day. Looking forward to it again tomorrow!

Items used in this soup that are "food storage" items:
chicken stock
canned diced tomatoes
home-canned white beans
herbs and other seasonings

Cornbread "food storage" ingredients:
flour
corn, ground into meal by my Little Friend
powdered milk
sugar
baking powder
and homemade strawberry freezer jam