My Favorite Fall Recipe!

I thought I'd repost my favorite cooler weather recipe.  I don't know about you, but we've had the best weather ever!  Mid 70s during the day with clear blue skies!  I've had windows open and we've been playing outside (more than when we were having 100+ degree weather a week or two ago).    

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It's that time of year when a good bowl of something warm sounds good for dinner.  Last night I made such a dish.  I wanted to share this recipe that I got from a friend of mine in a recipe exchange a few years ago.  She said it was a crowd pleaser and she was right. 

Italian Tortellini Stew

Ingredients:

1 # Italian Sausage (I use the Bob Evans roll)

1 C chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic (I cheat and use a tablespoon of the jarred garlic)

1 can (14-17oz size) tomato sauce

1 C sliced carrots

8-9 C beef broth (I use 2 of the 32 oz boxes)

1 C water

1 tblsp basil

1 tblsp Parsley

1 tblsp oregano

4 fresh tomatoes chopped

2 C sliced zucchini

1 C chopped mushrooms

1 green pepper chopped

2 small 9oz packages fresh tortellini (I cheat and buy frozen)

Saute sausage with onion and garlic.  Add tomato sauce, carrots, beef broth, chopped tomatoes, basil, parsley, and oregano.  Simmer for 1 hour.  Then add zucchini, mushrooms, green pepper, and fresh tortellini and cook for an additional hour.  (Because I cheat and use frozen tortellini I don’t add them until the last 10-15 minutes because I don’t want to over cook them).

Enjoy!  Serve with warm cornbread or just a crusty loaf of bread- yum!