Italian Sub Stoup with Garlic Toast Floaters

ITALIAN SUB STOUP with GARLIC TOAST FLOATERS

Stoup Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (twice around the pan)
3/4 pound (3 links) hot or sweet Italian sausage, split and meat removed from casing
1/4 pound pepperoni, diced
1 ham steak, diced (about 1/2 to 3/4 pound)
1 green bell pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled, quartered and sliced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups gemelli pasta or other short-cut pasta

Crouton Ingredients:
1/4 cup for croutons
5 cups cubed crusty bread
3 large cloves garlic, cracked from skin
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bunches arugula, trimmed and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)

Directions:
1.  Place a large soup pot or dutch oven on the stove top and preheat to medium high heat. Add olive oil, 2 turns of the pan and the sausage. Brown and crumble the sausage, drain off excess fat if necessary then add the ham and pepperoni. Cook meats together 2 minutes then add peppers and onions and cook 2 or 3 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and bring stoup to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook for 8 minutes. Make croutons while pasta cooks.
2.  In a large skillet heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil, 4 turns of the pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add bread to garlic oil, toss and toast the cubes 5 or 6 minutes. Season the toasty cubes with red pepper flakes, oregano and lots of grated cheese.
3.  Stir arugula into soup just before you serve it up. Ladle up the stoup and float several toasty garlic bread cubes in each bowl. 

NOTES:
We've made this meal dozens of times and love it each time. It is just the taste of fall for Ben and me. I measured out the stoup tonight and found that it yields nine 1.5 cup servings, approx 375 calories per serving before croutons.  I set aside two servings and froze the rest. 

The crouton recipe above is how we usually make them. Tonight I wanted to just make only enough croutons for this meal.  I got a mini boule of sourdough bread and cut enough to give us each a half serving. I lined a toaster oven pan with foil, sprayed it generously with olive oil cooking spray. After adding the cubed bread, I sprayed the bread with the oil and broiled until crispy, turning once. I tossed the crispy bread with 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 1/8 dried oregano, and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. The calorie count was definitely lower since I didn't try to saute the croutons in oil. 

I'm sure that in the past we have each eaten a good two cups of stoup and at least a full serving of croutons each. At the end of the meal, Ben and I were feeling full and pleased to have a few more calories left in our day for wine.  

Katie has lived more than 4 years without trying soup. Just wasn't interested. Tonight I pulled out the good old Campbell's chicken noodle soup and she agreed to try. She probably ate one noodle an inch long and gagged. She psyched herself into thinking that it would be awful. I drained the broth for her, but she still wouldn't give it another try.  So, she went to bed without dinner tonight. She wasn't in trouble, but noodles and chicken were her only dinner option. Thankfully for Katie, we have PEPS tomorrow night so she doesn't have to try it again tomorrow. Kyle spit out a mouthful of noodles, but was willing to eat them one or two at a time. He pounded two squeeze pouches of veggies and fruit.