Sausage Tortellini Soup

Add the onions, carrots, salt, pepper, and saute for about 5 minutes, or until tender; stir frequently.

Add the garlic, stir, and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.

Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.

Evenly sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the top, add the beef broth, stir, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, tortellini, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until tortellini are soft and done. Tip - Use heavy cream for best results, although half-and-half may be substituted. Do not use milk, it's too thin and watery and won't help you acheive the intended flavor and texture goals.

Add the kale, stir to combine, turn off the heat, and wait for 1-2 minutes, or until it has wilted.

Taste the soup and make any necessary flavor adjustments. Seasoning Tips - More than likely, you will want to add more salt, at least 1 to 2 teaspoons more. Part of it will depend on how salty your pork sausage is, but also your general preference for salt. If the soup tastes at all flat, bland, boring, or like it's missing something, it likely needs more salt so don't be afraid to add it. Pepper too, although not as critical as salt tends to be. For those who want just a hint of spice, a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper will add flavor and interest, rather than just spiciness and it's a trick I often use when I want to jazz up soup. You have to add more than a pinch to actually make it spicy. Hot pepper flakes are also a nice touch here. Ironically, so is a pinch of sugar. It can balance the acidity of the tomato sauce similar to adding a pinch of sugar to pasta sauce.

After you have the soup seasoned to your liking, ladle it into bowls, optionally garnish with fresh Parmesan and/or fresh herbs, and serve with crusty bread like a baguette, or homemade dinner rolls, or Parker House rolls.