This can be a soup, side dish or pasta dish with minor variations: Brown 1 lb italian sausage, I use hot, remove from pot and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pot and add 1 bunch of roughly chopped broccoli rabe and cook just until it turns a bright green (a minute or so) tossing constantly. Add a qt of chicken stock for soup, less for a veggie side dish. Slice and add sausage and season with italian seasoning and crushed red pepper to taste, cook for a few more minutes. Add any cooked pasta for a hearty main dish. Quick and easy, I have recently used herbed chicken sausage to cut down on fat and homemade no sodium broth so it's healthy also.

thanks for sharing your recipe. i have the sausage, but no broccoli rabe. you have me craving it now! along the same lines, here's a recipe that i love:

http://www.raosrecipes.com/2009/05/06/orecchiette-with-broccoli-rabe-and-sausage/

may need to go to the grocery store now...