Roasted Pepper & Sausage Stew

Ingredients

•     4 red bell peppers sliced
•     2 large sweet onions thinly sliced
•     1 T. olive oil
•     1 t. salt
•     1 lb. italian sausage links
•     2 T. butter
•     3 cloves garlic minced
•     2 1/2 cups beef or garlic broth
•     28 oz. diced tomatoes
•     1/4 cup fresh basil finely sliced
•     croutons for topping

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 450°.
2.     Toss peppers & onions in olive oil. Spread on a foil-covered rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
3.     Roast at 450° for 30 minutes.
4.     While peppers & onions are roasting, brown sausage links in a large pot. Remove and slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
5.     Melt butter in the pot with sausage drippings. Saute garlic over low heat until fragrant.
6.     Transfer half of peppers & onions to the pot and half to a blender. Add broth to the blender and blend on high until smooth, then pour into the pot.
7.     Add sliced sausage & tomatoes to the pot. Bring stew to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
8.     Add basil and cook for another minute, then remove from heat. Serve hot topped with croutons.