I used a different brand of sausage, and tried something a little different; instead of chopping and then sauteing the sausage as I did previously, I rolled it into mini-meatballs and baked them on a rack set over a sheet pan. I hope that you will find this to alleviate a little of the fat in the soup. I also increased the amount of escarole. If the pasta absorbs too much of the broth, you may need to add a little more liquid.
Next week will be Beef & Bean Chili and for my meatless friends I am going to offer a no-meat, pureed variation which consists of red beans, tomatoes, onions and the same basic chili flavorings. It will be both high protein and low-fat. I'll try leaving it chunky if you would prefer that. Please let me know if you want the meatless variation and we'lll work from there.
The chili freezes so well, and I will not be making it again until autumn, so consider stocking up. It's great for chili dogs in the summer!
The schedule for May is still in the works, but will likely include Cheddar Corn Chowder, Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper and Spring Pea soup. I will tighten this up in the next week.
I will be continuing soups definitely through May and into June. I realize that this is the time of year that people start easing off soup, so please keep me informed. I expect that the June soups will include several cold soups such as gazpacho and cucumber soup. If you have suggestions, let me know!
