Tortellini Soup

1 pound Italian sausage
onion diced
2 cans Italian tomatoes
1 tsp. Cummin
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
32 oz carton chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese
bag of fresh spinach
bag of frozen cheese tortellini
Brown sausage and onion. Add garlic, cummin, oregano, salt and pepper.  Add cream cheese and stir until cream cheese is melted and blended into soup. Add tomatoes.  Add chicken broth. Add spinach and let cook until spinach is wilted into the soup mix.  Add the tortellini.   Stir gently so you won't break up the tortellini.  When the tortellini
is done the soup is ready.  Only takes 2 or 3 minutes.  Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top and some Italian bread.

NOTE...Another version is fire roasted Rotel, salt and pepper to taste instead of Italian tomatoes and the seasonings listed. 

Cream of Mushroom Soup

With colder weather coming on I've been tackling some new soups.   Here are a couple I think you will like.

Cream of Mushroom

drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup of butter
Small onion diced
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2-3 cups mushrooms roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons flour
Splash of white wine-optional
3-4 cups of chicken stock
Block of cream cheese
Melt butter.  Add the olive oil. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until tender.  Add garlic just before they are done.  Add the flour and the wine.  Cook until the wine has cooked off.  Add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.  Add the cream cheese and stir until in melts into the soup.  The soup will thicken slightly.  Salt and pepper to taste.  It's recommended you serve with buttered crackers.  I ate mine with buttered croutons.   Of course good bread will work too.