Welcome and Italian Soup for Two

Hello and Welcome to Kathy's Kitchen Capers!  For those of you who didn't get the pun right away, a caper is a briny, pickled bud from a caper bush.

Speaking of bushes, let's not beat around them and get straight to the recipes and resulting escapades!


The first recipe I would like to share with you is an Italian-style  soup that my mom and I came up with one day when we didn't have all day to cook lunch. Don't worry though.  The only way you'll be able to tell that this soup took under half an hour to make is that you'll have more time to enjoy it!  

Italian Soup for Two

Ingredients:

16  oz. chicken broth or stock
1/4 cup cannelini beans, canned, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup kidney beans, canned, rinsed and drained
1   cup small pasta (I used mini shells)
Kale or other leafy greens (as much or little as you want)
pinch of oregano
a couple shakes of crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves
1 or 2 cooked sausage links, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise, then chopped into 1/2 inch chunks (I used chicken/apple/gouda sausage, but any sausage with Italian flavors will also do.)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)


1. Cook pasta and set aside. Be sure not to overcook the pasta because it will cook slightly more once you add it to the soup.

2. Chop and cook greens (I microwaved for 3-4 mins) until tender and set them aside.

3. Put broth, spices, and sausage in a saucepan.  Heat for 5-10 mins on medium heat.

4. Add beans, pasta, and greens and heat through.

5. Remove bay leaves and serve soup in bowls with grated Parmesan on top.

A panini is the perfect sandwich to go with this soup!