Sausage Soup

James Carrier We ate this soup last night for dinner. It was so yummy. I replaced the spinach with the left over collard greens, onions and bacon I had made for dinner. This is a wonderful recipe to build from and add things to. You can replace the meat with different meat, add wild rice instead of pasta and on and on. Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup Notes: You can prepare soup through step 2 up to 1 day ahead, but do not bring mixture to a boil; instead, cool, cover, and chill. To reheat, lift off and discard fat; bring soup to a boil. 2 pounds hot or mild Italian sausages 3 carrots (12 oz. total), peeled and chopped 1 onion (12 oz.), peeled and chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 3 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth 2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes 2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon dried basil 2 cups dried large shell-shaped pasta 4 quarts spinach leaves (about 12 oz.), rinsed Salt and pepper About 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1. Squeeze sausages from casings into an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat and stir often, breaking them apart with a spoon, until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon out and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan. 2. Add carrots, onion, and garlic; stir often until onion is limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice), beans, and basil and bring to a boil. 3. Add pasta, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Skim and discard fat. Stir in spinach and cook just until it is wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup from the pan, or pour into a tureen. Offer parmesan cheese to add to taste.

Plant Sale In Long Beach

Myself, Adriana, and Fern will be at the Long Beach City College plant sale this Friday. Its my first time going to this sale. I've heard its great. I sure hope so. I can never have enough_____(fill in the blank here).

Annual Plant Sale at PCC April 08 - 11, 2009 Thousands of plants will be on sale April 8 – 11, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., as the Long Beach City College Horticulture Club presents the 37th Annual Open House and Plant Sale in the Horticulture Gardens of the Pacific Coast Campus, 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway (at the corners of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway). Available for the public to purchase at low grower prices will be: · Tree & Bush Roses · Shade & Sun Shrubs · Fruit & Shade Trees · Annual & Perennial Bedding Plants · Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Plants · Cacti & Succulents and more! For more information please call David Frattalone at (562) 938-3092 or the Greenhouse at (562) 938-3192. Joining the Horticulture Club for the fourth year will be the Sheet Metal Club selling their metal plasma art, copper planter boxes, copper waterfalls, copper birdhouses, wrought iron furniture, bar-b-ques etc. The sheet metal and wrought iron projects range from yard art stating at a couple of dollars to a wrought iron patio table and chairs for $350. Call Tim Shoemaker at 562-938-3051 for more information. Proceeds from all sales assist with scholarships, field trips, student projects and support.

For more information, please contact the Office of Community Relations & Marketing at (562) 938-4353 or (562) 938-4846.

Last Night's Exchange

Big thanks to everyone who participated. I gave away lots of lettuce and I gained an eggplant seedling and tons of lemons. I will use them all.

After the meeting adjourned there was some talk of people building raised beds and getting rid of their lawns. Its such great news. Eat more homegrown, love that.

Looking forward to next month. I wonder who is going to be the first one with tomatoes. I hope for bushels and bales.

Exchange Tonight

Dont' forget the exchange tonight!

I have lots of empty seed packets to give out along with homegrown red leaf lettuce.

What will you be bringing?