Sausage and Vegetable Stew

* 6 Italian-style sausages
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
* 1 medium sweet onion, chopped into 1-inch dice
* 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch dice
* 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch dice
* 2 medium zucchini, chopped into 1-inch dice
*1 small eggplant, chopped into 1-inch dice
* 2 cups mushrooms, quartered
* 1 28 oz can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
* 1 5.5 oz can tomato paste with Italian herbs
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* Parmesan cheese, optional


Cut the sausages into 1-inch pieces. In a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and cook the sausage pieces, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, onion, and vegetables, stirring well to mix. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are almost softened.
Add the stewed tomatoes, stirring well to mix, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomato paste, and vinegar stirring well to mix.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.