Creamy Tomato Soup w/Pork Sausage

Ingredients

• 4.0 oz peas
• 1.0 tablespoon butter
• 0.5 cup italian cheese blend
• 9.0 oz italian pork sausage
• 1.0 tablespoon italian seasoning
• pepper (to taste)
• salt (to taste)
• 1.0 unit chicken stock concentrate
• 2.0 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4.0 oz cream sauce base
• 1.0 demi-baguette
• 1.0 unit mushroom stock concentrate
• 1.5 oz tomato paste

Instructions

1. Step 1: Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove sausage from casing; discard casing. TIP: Use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut a slit in the casing lengthwise; it’s a quick way to de-case the sausage!
2. Step 2: Heat 1 TBSP butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and half the Italian Seasoning; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
3. Step 3: While sausage cooks, in a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch and ½ cup water until combined. Add tomato paste to pot with sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until combined, 30 seconds.
4. Step 4: Increase heat to high. Stir in cream sauce base, chicken stock concentrate, mushroom stock concentrate, cornstarch mixture, and 1½ cups hot water; bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes. TIP: If soup seems too thick, stir in another ¼ cup of water. Remove pot from heat; stir in peas. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper.
5. Step 5: While soup cooks, halve baguette lengthwise. Place, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with half the Italian cheese. Bake on top rack until cheese melts, 4-6 minutes.
6. Step 6: Divide soup between bowls; top with remaining Italian cheese. Serve with cheesy bread on the side.