Hearty Tortellini Soup

Ingredients
Yields 8-10 servings

• 3 Sweet Italian Sausages, casings removed (you can cut the casing off at home)
• 1 Medium Onion diced
• 2 Carrots peeled & diced
• 1-2 Stalks Celery diced
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves, pressed or finely chopped
• Optional: 1/4 cup dry White Wine to deglaze pan
• 1 14-ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
• 8 c. Chicken Stock, *Low sodium, since sausage meat can be already salty
• Freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 c. Baby Spinach leaves (Baby Kale *without stalks* can be substituted)
• 1 pound Fresh 3-cheese Tortellini
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: Fresh Flat-leaf Italian Parsley
• Grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Directions

• Heat a skillet (nonstick makes it easier) on Medium-high heat. (Optional: Add a bit of olive oil or butter to pan.) Add the sausage meat without the casings, and cook breaking up the meat into small pieces, stirring occasionally until browned.
• Add the onion, carrots & celery and cook for 3-5 minutes. Then add the garlic & season with freshly ground black pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes. Optional: Add the white wine to deglaze/scrape up bits on the bottom of the pan, cooking until wine has mostly or fully evaporated.
• Transfer the sausage & vegetables to the insert of a slow cooker or dutch oven. Add the diced tomatoes with only a little bit of their extra juice, and add all 8 cups of the chicken broth. Cover with the lid and set the cooker to Medium, and cook for 1 hour, Then after the first hour turn temp to Low, & cook the soup on Low for the remaining 2 hours. (NOTE: Total cooking time is 3 hours. You can set temp to Low & cook on Low the entire time if you browned the sausage fully & if your slow cooker temp is accurate.)
• About 30 minutes ahead of when you'll serve the soup: Add the Tortellini & half the Spinach (or if using kale,  all of the kale without stalks) to the slow cooker and let cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley & other half of the spinach. Taste to check salt & pepper flavor, adjust as needed.
• When the Tortellini is cooked thru, Ladle the soup into bowls & sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
• Serving note: Serve with Toasted Rustic Bread on the side.