this recipe was so good!! it has really good bones, and though i did make many modifications, it was only because i wanted it, not because it was needed. i used a roll of medium hot sausage, because it was on sale. to compensate, i added italian seasonings while browning along with a teaspoon of fennel, because i think that fennel complements the flavor of sausage. i also added cayenne pepper for kick, and allspice, because it complements the flavor of the tomatoes. i used crushed tomatoes instead of fresh because they were also on sale and for convenience. i sauteed leeks along with the onions and garlic, and i used 6 oz. of wine instead of just 4 oz. i used about an extra cup of beef broth, and omitted the water. i substituted quartered baby portabellas and spinach for the zucchini, and i started to forego the tomato sauce, but decided to add it. i am so glad i did because it gave the broth a really silky texture. i added frozen tortellini (also on sale) the last 5 minutes, then i let it sit for ten minutes before eating. finally, i topped it with parmesean cheese (on sale, of course). amazing!! this soup was so awesome, i ate almost 3 bowls with crusty bread and butter! mmmmm! fabulous recipe, and it is hearty without sending you into a food coma! the best part is the recipe made plenty and cost about 13 bucks to make! i freezed the rest and will be making this again.... kudos, mary p.!!

Reviewed On: Oct. 12, 2009