Westover Winter Soup: A Tribute to Friendship and Flavor
Cozy winter soup with tomatoes, vegetables, sausage and cheese filled tortellini.
For more than a week now, I’ve been thinking about the delicious lunch at last week’s Westover Garden Club meeting. We met at Johnson’s Nursery for an inspiring program on orchids. We all brought planters and watched as Tim Johnson artfully filled them with orchid and plant arrangements - no doubt that all of them will enjoy full and happy lives! I came home with gorgeous beginner friendly purple orchids that should keep my living room looking fancy and full of life through the winter.
As always, the day was about more than plants or decor. Good friends gathered together over a wonderful meal prepared by hosts G. Lee Taylor and Gayle Upchurch. While the group is somewhat social in nature, they are also a deeply engaged group of women. Someone always has an announcement to share about an event they’re leading or a cause to be championed - asking for help and volunteers. And, without fail, the answer is always “yes.” The give-and-take strengthens bonds and makes an impact far beyond our lunch table.
Back to the soup.
You know that saying, “this hits the spot”? I’m convinced it was coined with G. Lee’s winter soup in mind. If you asked me to pinpoint exactly what made it so unforgettable, I’m not sure that I could. Maybe it was warm and comforting on a cold Suffolk day. Maybe it was the savory seasoning or the tender tortellini. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the company - sharing a meal with women who feel like sisters.
Whatever the magic ingredient, I felt inspired to take a run at recreating this masterpiece in my own kitchen. Here’s my version of G. Lee’s Winter Soup.
Did I mention that she served it at the perfect temperature from a crock pot with an automatic stirring paddle? How is it that I don’t have one of those?
Winter Soup with Vegetables, Sausage and Cheese Filled Tortellini
Ingredients
1 TABLESPOON olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 lb ground beef or sausage
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes plus fresh tomatoes if you have them
2 cups bone broth
2 cups vegetable broth
1 TEASPOON dried basil
1 TEASPOON dried oregano
1/2 TEASPOON red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 package frozen cheese tortellini
1 small package fresh spinach
Fresh parsley or basil to garnish
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add onions and garlic until soft.
Add the carrots and celery. Saute until tender.
Add ground sausage and cook until it is no longer pink.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broths, seasonings, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Cook for 15-20 minutes.
Add the tortellini and cook about ten minutes.
Add the spinach, cook until its slightly wilted.
Season to taste.
Garnish with something fresh and green. Top with cheese.
This soup is not fancy. Every ingredient was on hand, or the recipe would have been different…reflecting what was on hand. It was, however, purely comforting - warm, hearty and just a little bit spicy.
Thanks G. Lee, Gayle and the ladies of Westover Garden Club for good memories and a warm heart on a cold day.
Enjoy!
