spinach tortellini soup

When it's planting, silage, harvest or Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday on the farm, it's usually good to keep one-handed lunches in mind. 

You know, the kind your farmer can eat with one hand while driving a tractor. 

Burritos. Sandwiches. 

Umm . . . burritos. 

And sandwiches. 

But on the in-between days, when the fields are drying out or the silage is all chopped, spinach tortellini soup suits my farmer just fine. 

Like, three-bowls-in-one-sitting fine.

This soup is light and flavorful enough for summer eating with sandwiches or salad, but the peppers add a nice little heat for spring days that can't decide if they're going to be hot or cold.  

And the best part of all?

You can get all the ingredients at Aldi. 

Which means you can make a super-size batch. 

Because when your farmer isn't farming and he's hungry, he just may eat it all. 

Spinach Tortellini Soup

2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 T. butter
2 13-oz. cans chicken broth
8-oz. pkg. cheese tortellini, uncooked
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or some red pepper flakes)
1/4 tsp. pepper
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
16-oz. can stewed tomatoes, chopped

In a large saucepan over medium heat, salute garlic in butter for 3-5 minutes. Add broth and tortellini; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; add peppers and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and tomatoes; continue to simmer an additional 5 minutes. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese to taste.