Sausage and Cabbage Soup

If you like cabbage soup, then you are going to LOVE This Recipe that I found on the Spend with Pennies, blog.  Her photos alone make you want to devour this soup, even if you don't like cabbage. 
I cannot eat onions, which she has in her recipe and she also uses heavy cream, which I rarely have on hand.  Because of those two reasons, I changed up the recipe, added different spices and a few other ingredients and for us, it is the perfect soup.  I say this because it is now classified as one of my favorite soups.....really.

SAUSAGE & CABBAGE SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

1 - 14oz. pkg. Hillshire Farm smoked sausage, cubed or sliced

2 tablespoons butter

1 tsp. dried minced garlic

2 - 14.5oz. cans chicken broth

3 medium potatoes; cubed

2 carrots, sliced

3-4 cups cabbage, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced (optional)  I put this in if I have it on hand.

1/2 - 1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tablespoon dried parsley (crushed a little in your hand)

1 tsp. McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

CREAM MIXTURE:

1/2 cup (1 Cube) butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 2 tablespoons powdered milk

2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

1.Cook sausage in butter on medium heat until fat has cooked off.

2. While sausage is cooking, cube, slice, and chop the potatoes, carrots, cabbage & celery.

3. When sausage is done cooking, add broth, garlic, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, celery, sea salt, pepper, parsley, and McCormick  seasoning.

4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

5. Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Stir in the flour and powdered milk mixture and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes.

6. Add milk and whisk until smooth.  Continue whisking until thick and bubbly.

7. Add milk mixture to the soup and stir well.

8. Allow to simmer 5 minutes.