For a quick winter supper, offer bowls of this meaty soup with green salad, crusty rolls, and fresh fruit.

About 1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 lg. onion, chopped
1/3 c. chopped parsley
2 med. sized carrots, thinly sliced
1 c. thinly sliced mushrooms
1 can (about 1 lb.) garbanzos
3 c. water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
Salt & pepper

Remove casings from sausage and slice or crumble into bite-sized pieces. Cook sausage in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until meat is browned. Add garlic, onion, 1/4 cup of the parsley, carrots and mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is limp.

Add garbanzos (including liquid), water, bouillon cubes and sage. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until beans are hot and carrots are tender when pierced, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Skim off and discard any excess fat. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley. Makes 3-4 servings.