Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Vegetables

With temperatures expected to reach 4 below tomorrow, tortellini soup will be the perfect touch for dinner. 

• 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 lb. ground sweet Italian pork sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 c chicken broth
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10 ozs fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 lb cheese tortellini
• ¾ c heavy cream
• ¾ c parmesan

Line a dish with paper towels and set aside.
 
Place the bacon in a dutch oven over medium heat cook until crisp.   Place the bacon on prepared dish and leave one tablespoon of bacon grease in pan.
 
Place the sausage and onion in the pot and cook for seven minutes over medium heat.   Stir in the celery and garlic cook for three minutes.   Stir in the broth, the basil, tomatoes, salt and pepper.   Bring to a boil and stir in the spinach.  Cook for three minutes, then add the tortellini.   Cook for three more minutes.  Stir in the cream and parmesan.    Remove from the heat. Crumble the bacon and stir into the soup.