Nice & Cozy with Tortellini Soup

Posted: December 14, 2010 at 8:10 pm

At 1:00 this afternoon, this was the weather in normally mild Georgia.

weather

I know that is not near as bad as where some of you are, but its still flipping cold to me. I had nothing on my to-do list today and nowhere to be, so I managed to stay nice & cozy.

Makenzie & I hung out in sweats (or comfortable tacky outfits a 2 year old picks out) for the day.

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We danced to Christmas music and snuggled with some books. Right now, she is all about “Rudolph song” and The Christmas Story book.

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I sipped Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride hot tea and ate a lemon sugar cookie with icing from the cookie exchange over the weekend.

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I took a nice nap, then entertained myself with this link a friend posted. Most hilarious pregnancy photos ever. Why have I not heard of this blog before?

I whipped up a bowl of comfort in the form of one of the most delicious soups ever.

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Italian Tortellini Soup (from Taste of Home – shared by my friend, Danielle)

3 Italian turkey sausage links (4 ounces each), casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of pre-minced garlic
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
1-3/4 cups water
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini (found whole wheat! woo!)
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2-1/4 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash Heavy sprinkling crushed red pepper flakes (I like it spicy)
Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

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Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven; add onion.

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Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Add tortellini; return to a boil. Cook for 7-9 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

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Reduce heat; add the spinach, basil, pepper and pepper flakes. Cook 2-3 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted. Serve with cheese if desired.

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Make this! You know if I share a recipe it means it is tasty and amazingly easy.

Now, I think a blanket, another cup of tea, and The Biggest Loser Finale with my sister are calling my name for the remainder of the evening. Stay nice & cozy!

  • How do you like to stay nice & cozy?
  • What is your favorite soup?

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60 Comments to “Nice & Cozy with Tortellini Soup”
  1. I love to sit by the fire, with a cup of tea and a feel good movie on with the boys. The soup looks incredible! YUM! Stay warm although I am thinking with your personal heater, you are doing all right. Me…I am freezing to death! Have a great night Tina!

  2. I saw that Pregnancy photo/blog yesterday! I was laughing so hard tears started to form!

  3. Ah, thanks for sharing the awkward pregnancy pictures! They are wonderfully terrible! I think guys should generally try to keep their shirts on for family pictures!

    I love cozying up with slippers, a thick blanket, and a cup of tea! I’ve been meaning to buy the sugar cookie tea for the past few weeks, but keep forgetting every time I go to the store. It’s officially on the list now!

  4. I am literally LOLing at those pregnancy photos. What were they thinking!??! 😛

    And tortellini soup? Yes please! I’m a huge fan of soup, but it usually doesn’t do much for my hunger. But with the addition of sausage and tortellini…that would definitely do the trick 🙂

    • Tina says:

      It’s very filling. I couldn’t even finish my bowl and didn’t have any bread or anything with it either. Although, that could be credited to having very little room in my stomach these days too. LOL

  5. Astrid says:

    Warm food and clothes work for me. Especially cooking and using the oven. Keeps things warm. I love lobster bisque.

  6. Lisa says:

    OMg that site is great. HAHA. Looks like such a fun day you had with your daughter! I absolutely LOVE days like that where you just wear your pj’s and relax! THE BEST!

  7. Sugar cookie sleigh ride tea is so good!
    Just checked out the pregnancy photo site- they are hilarious! I like the goodyear one.

  8. LOL at those awkward family photos!!!! O M G!!!!!

    It’s SOOOOO cold here!!! 19 degrees!!!! I guess you are freezing there in the South!!! Bone chilling weather!!! I made me some hot cocoa this afternoon and it warmed me up 🙂

  9. Meg says:

    Wow, what is WITH those pregnancy pictures?

    Yikes, those temperatures are cold, even for here! I like to stay cozy by turning on the gas fireplace and curling up under a throw blanket with tea and a book. 🙂

  10. Soup is my favorite on a cold day! I can’t pick a favorite. Maybe tomato bisque? There aren’t many soups I don’t like.

    • Tina says:

      I had soup for lunch and dinner on Monday, for dinner last night, and I foresee leftovers for lunch today. Yum yum. 😀

  11. It’s unusually cold here too. Another soup night for us. I actually have been wearing my Under Armour running compression top under my sweaters to work! I hate being cold 😉

  12. That picture is the two of you is adorable! 🙂 you are both glowing inside and out! 🙂

    20 degrees is cold! I’m currently heading up to Maryland for a week and I’m afraid of the weather!

  13. Those pregnancy pictures are ammmmazing!

  14. I can’t believe it is already The Biggest Loser finale! I think I am 12 episodes behind on the DVR! Woops! And I love tortellini soup! My mom makes the best ever!

  15. Cynthia says:

    That soup looks delicious! My favorite soup is tomato, but I also like a nice bowl of chili on a cold day.

  16. I enjoy reading your blog but rarely comment but I too am watching BL cuddled up in my fave down blanket sipping homemade cider!! That’s how I’m staying warm & cozy tonight!

  17. That soup looks amazing! The hilarious pregnancies photos were AWESOME by the way! It amazes me what some people do 😀

  18. Oh my gosh- my friend just sent me that site to send to my preggers friend, Jaime! I thought it was hilarious. Jaime said she loved it but we both agree the number of guns in the pictures were somewhat alarming… lol

  19. Lee says:

    I had an early dentist appointment this morning and it was 14 degrees!

    I’m a big fan of Old Navy’s cozy socks. I might have gotten a pair for my secret santa. Oh wait, i’m the secret santa. What is the recipient called?

  20. We finally are getting a bit, and I mean just a bit, of snow. Temps aren’t that low yet, but we are hoping for a white Christmas!

    For me cozy is a cuppa, a blanket, movies and books. Unfortunately, the monkey and his cousin don’t often let us do things like that.

    As for soup, it is a toss up between Italian-Tomato and Rice, Baked Potato, Carrot-Pesto and my Three Bean Chili Mole! 🙂

  21. My fave soup is usually Chicken Tortilla 🙂 I have made a similiar tortellini minus the sausage I think I will add that next time!

    …and OMG those are funny pics!! lol

  22. Natalie says:

    Soup…sweats…a movie…blanket…sounds like perfection to me 🙂

  23. Kat says:

    Lady, in MN we expect those temperatures and when we see them in the spring, I kid you not, people will jump with joy and put on shorts.

    As for staying cozy, I usually end up throwing leg warmers on over whatever I’m wearing. Surprisingly enough it helps.

  24. Ameena says:

    Is it weird that I want M’s hair? Really badly?

    I heard Atlanta is freezing cold! It was 85 degrees here yesterday…I wish I was where you are!

    My favorite soup is lentil – it’s easy to throw a bunch of ingredients into a pot and have it turn out. Lentils are the easiest thing to make!

  25. Ug, I was out in that all day doing Christmas shopping, not as bad as yesterday though. Those pregnancy photos are hilarious! Love the guy flexing, too funny!

  26. LOL, yes!!! I saw this yesterday on facebook. It is all kinds of wrong, in the best way possible 🙂

  27. Maren says:

    That soup looks amazing. I wish we had some tortellini.

  28. Emily says:

    Tina, that website was absolutely horrifying!! Who thinks photos like that are okay!!? Insane…but gave me a good laugh, too 🙂 Soup looks delicious! We’re freezing here as well.

  29. Oh my goodness – those pregnancy photos. Klassy with a K.

    Your soup looks delicious!

  30. Dorry says:

    My friend sent me the link to that website last week – hahaha. Too funny. At home, I stay cozy with hot tea and comfy slipper socks. It’s pretty warm here in Dallas but I’m ready for some chilly holiday air. I love a good vegetable or lentil soup.

  31. OMG those pictures are classic!! bahaha.

  32. Oh my gosh that site is HYSTERICAL!! Did you see the naked one with the woman’s belly above her husband’s butt? WTF?!

    I made my dad pastina soup last night for his dinner- so warm and comfy!!

    • Tina says:

      Yea. Peter & I laughed that that was their “conception position”. LOL

      Very disturbing though. And probably not all too appropriate, but whatever.

  33. Allie says:

    You and M look soooo cozy! Your soup recipe sounds and looks so cozy as well 😀 mmmmmm I think I’m going to have to try it out! I like your cartoon haha made me laugh pretty hard!

    Keep warm :o) (and cozy!)

  34. Heather says:

    oh my gosh i am so jealous of that weather…it feels like spring here!!! and i live in colorado!!! lame 🙂

  35. SOUL + FOOD says:

    wow you guys are just as cold as us here in New York :/

    by the way…most hilarious pregnancy photos? so funny, I sooo checking that out!

  36. Angela says:

    Those photos are hilarious!! And the one of you and M is just super cute. Sounds like a day well-spent. I’ve been eating soups of all sorts lately, but my favourites tend to have lots of chunky veggies in them. Soup is one of my go-to comfort foods for sure!

  37. Courtney F says:

    Looks like a great day!
    I love the cookie tea! I had some the other night and savored ever drop!

  38. I have seen those pregnancy pics before — how hilarious!!! Did you see the one with the naked guy doing a headstand in front of the mom? You’ll know what I’m talking about it you’ve seen it. Hysterical!!

    Even though it is colder here I totally feel for you. I hate feeling cold, it makes me so uncomfortable. How nice to stay in with sweats. The perfect way to spend a cold day 🙂

  39. Caitlin says:

    My Mum makes an awesome Italian Peasant Soup with ground sausage, chicken, spinach, and beans. We had it for dinner last weekend and I am still (happily) eating the leftovers for lunch. A good hearty soup or stew is always a favorite for me!

  40. I love making tortellini soup too. And I usually mix up the ingredients based on whatever I have in the fridge! My favorite cold weather soup is chili 🙂

  41. I have seen awkward family photos before, but never pregnant chicken! haha

  42. Best “go-to-get-a-laugh” blog ever haha. Your tortellini soup sounds great! A great comfort food 🙂

  43. Nic says:

    I’m ok with the cold weather if it means the return of soups. Especially soups I can make in large quanities and freeze for later! Your soup looks pretty dran good!

  44. Marlo says:

    LOL!!!! That blog of hilarious preggo pics is funny! People make me laugh!! Like why would you do that!

    That soup sound amazing..

  45. Becca says:

    That blog is HILARIOUS!

  46. Love the blog! And since we may be getting snow tomorrow, I def. want to try that soup! Going out to find some whole wheat tortellini! Thanks, Tina!

  47. im still laughing about the pregnancy photos. just yesterday my pregnant sister sent me that link and i died laughing. HILARIOUS. what do people think sometimes??? i also starred your recipe because it sounds amazing, quick, and easy. xox!

  48. Tasty AND amazingly easy? Must. Make. Immediately.

  49. […] Italian Tortellini Soup (courtesy of Tina) […]

  50. […] Italian Tortellini Soup (courtesy of Tina! Who, by the way, had Baby B while I was in Atlanta on 1/11/11 How cool!) […]

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