Sausage Italian Soup

I made this recipe up with inspiration from the soup from Olive Garden by the same name. I modified it a little because I didn't like a few of the flavors. It's a smash hit wherever I take it, and people are always asking me for the recipe. My 2 year-old guzzles this stuff!

The best news of all--it's so simple to make!

1 lb pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean's reduced fat)

1 c rice

6 c beef broth

1/2 t pepper

2 c chopped spinach

Brown the sausage in a large pot, strain, and return to the pot. Add rice, beef broth, and pepper; simmer 15 min. Add spinach, and simmer 3-5 more minutes.

Enjoy!

On a little side note, the Jimmy Dean's sausage is so expensive these days, so I always keep my eye out for a deal on it. When it gets to $2.25 a pound or less, I stock my freezer. Unfortunately, it's been as high as $4.00 a pound recently. It really does taste the best though.