My home is once again tranquil but for the pitter-patter of feline feet racing across a wooden floor. The final sugar-crusted gibassier have made their way into my belly. The crispy tree is ready to be stripped of its twinkle (I’ll do it soon). The frenetic holiday season has left, keen to be swapped by a serener January chockfull of “hygge” (demerit points for using the hipster word-o-the-minute).

A quiet, cozy January means soup. Whether you simmer yours in a Dutch oven or slow cooker, soup is the ideal post-holiday vehicle for increasing veggie consumption (who doesn’t need to?), reducing calorie intake (to meet those 2018 resolutions), and scenting the house with wonderful smells (because it’s nice). So, for the next month, I’m setting butter, sugar and flour aside (baking detox!) and simmering up some bowlfuls of goodness.

When faced with leftovers, my mother was famous (in our house anyway) for saying, “Don’t throw it away – I’ll make soup out of it!” With a nod to her, I created this recipe to tackle the Matterhorn of edibles still lingering in my refrigerator and pantry after the holiday feasting. The only ingredient I purchased was the sausage.