Escarole Soup

Linda Kwiatt, a postal worker from Oak Forest, took top honors in Mom's Best Soup Recipe Contest, sponsored by Tin Fish restaurants.

1-- pounds bulk Italian sausage (out of the case); add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 cloves of garlic (or more), through a press
3 cans of chicken broth
1 can water
2 cans of great northern beans
1 can cannellini beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 heads of escarole, washed and shopped
-- box ditilini pasta, cooked

In a large pot, brown sausage with garlic (do not grain). Add broth and water. Rinse and drain 1 can of beans and add to pot. Add the other 2 cans of beans and the tomatoes. Add escarole and cook down 30 to 45 minutes. Serve over the ditilini pasta.

To a first-time user of escarole, it looks like a lot, but it cooks down perfectly.

(My husband insists that I add that there are lots of "lettuces" that look like escarole. Be sure you get the right ingredient.)

From Linda Kwiatt