Sausage Broccoli Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 c. broccoli florets
2 to 3 carrots, diced
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans chicken broth
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)
9 oz. cheese tortellini, cooked and drained
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 qt. light cream
1/2 c. grated Romano cheese

Preparation

In a skillet, cook and crumble sausage until no longer pink. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. In the same skillet, saute onion, garlic and mushrooms in butter until tender; set aside.
In a Dutch oven, cook the broccoli and carrots in chicken broth until tender. Stir in sausage and the mushroom mixture. Add soup, tortellini, pepper, basil and thyme; heat through. Stir in cream and Romano cheese; heat through. Yield: 12 to 16 servings (4 quarts).