Sausage and Spinach Soup Freezer Meal

• Slice bacon into thin 2" x 1/8" strips. Dice chicken sausage.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon and sausage, stirring often, until bacon and sausage are crispy. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon remove and set aside cooked bacon and sausage, reserving bacon grease in skillet.
• Place same skillet back on medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook additional 2 minutes until garlic just starts to golden. Remove from heat.

MAKE IT NOW

• In a large stockpot add bacon and sausage, onion mixture, tomatoes, carrots, vegetable broth, basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and spinach. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool 5 minutes then ladle into bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese if desired.

MAKE IT A FREEZER MEAL

Let bacon and sausage mixture and onion mixture cool completely. Add the bacon and sausage, onion mixture, tomatoes, carrots, vegetable broth, basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and spinach into labeled gallon-size (4 L) freezer bag. Seal, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.

REHEAT

• Place soup in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours to thaw. Pour soup bag contents into a large stockpot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool 5 minutes then ladle into bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese if desired.