Tomato Rice and Bean Soup with Hot Italian Sausage

You could call this a "can opener" soup, or "half home made". Plan to eat it the day after you make it.

Either the day before, or an hour before making the soup, bake 4 HOT Italian sausages at 350F for 15 minutes per side, turning once, and allow them to cool.

Dump into a 3 quart saucepan all at once,

1 Quart chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can Hunts plain tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can Hunts diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 (8.5 oz.) package microwavable pre-cooked Basmati rice
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, undrained
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon honey
1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken flavor bouillon paste.

While soup is heating, slice sausages fairly thin... 1/8" to 3/16". Do not add them yet.

Stir well, and heat on medium. When the mixture is hot enough to JUST begin to bubble, add

1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken flavor bouillon paste.

Stir soup well, and when the bouillon paste has dissolved, add the sausages...LAST. You do this last because you don't want the hot pepper flavor to boil out of the slices.

Cool soup, and refrigerate for one day to allow the flavors to blend, then re-heat and serve.

This makes about 2 1/2 quarts of soup, and will serve 8.