Spicy Sausage Soup

Last night I made some really yummy, easy soup. It tasted especially good since it was cold and rainy yesterday. I made a few changes to the recipe because I can never seem to just follow them verbatim. It should feed about 8 or more people. Try it and tell me what you think!

Spicy Sausage Soup with Cilantro

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds hot Italian sausage links, casings removed, and sliced (turkey sausage worked great)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth (I added a little more water to thin it a bit)
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes and added Italian seasoning)
1 (15.5 ounce) can white hominy
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed (I used 4 stalks celery since Mike still thinks he doesn't like zucchini)
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (I used about 1 cup cilantro and 1 cup fresh basil)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt


DIRECTIONS:
1.In a large skillet over medium heat, combine Italian sausage and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until sausage is evenly browned. Drain cooked sausage in a strainer to remove grease.
2.In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, combine the beef broth, hominy, stewed tomatoes, carrots, beans, and zucchini. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add sausage and cilantro; simmer for 15 minutes, or until carrots and zucchini are tender. Season with salt and pepper and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.