Favorite Trader Joes Item #7: Sweet Italian Sausage (or any of their sausages for that matter)

Meat is usually what makes my grocery bills sooo high. This package of sausage was only $2.99 for six sausages. We got about 2 1/2 meals out of this soup between my husband and I. Not to shabby!

Here’s one of my favorite sausage soups:

Sausage Soup with Spinach & Beans

inspired by this recipe from Everyday Food

• 1 package (12 ounces) sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 16oz. bag of frozen spinach from trader joe’s (item not pictured-sorry!)
• 2 cans Trader Joe’s cannellini beans
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic smashed
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 large pinch of red pepper
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 32oz. container of chicken stock

Place chopped onion & mashed garlic in soup pot & sautee in olive oil. Take sausage out of its casings and break off bite sized *meatballs* Add this to onion mixture. Cook sausages on medium heat for about 4 minutes. Your goal is to make sure there’s no pink left on the outside of the meat. Now add chicken stock, beans & frozen spinach. Simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes. Make sure there’s a very low boil going on. Before you serve, add the red-wine vinegar (it will give it that extra zing!). Season with salt & pepper. Enjoy.

I’m actually eating a bowl of this soup as I write this post. It’s really good for a cold autumn afternoon. I recommend making it on a Sunday afternoon while your spouse is watching football. Not only will make your house smell wonderful, you will be sneaking a heaping portion of vegetables into someone else’s diet. I like to pair it with crusty pieces of bread and butter…mmmmmmm…….. My husband & I like to save the sausage til the end. It’s the best part!

Sometimes I use the following Trader Joe’s Sausages for this recipe:

Garlic Sausage

Wine & Cheese Sausage

Hot Italian Sausage

(All of them produce a great result)

See closeup if you don’t have any meat aversion: