cabbage, potato, and turkey sausage soup

so i've been daydreaming of this hearty soup for a while now, and it's finally cold(ish) enough out to be really appropriate.  i mean really, i love this soup all the time, but you know...

1/2 lb turkey sausage
1 white onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
6 small russet potatoes, cut into 1 in. pieces
1/2 head green cabbage, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
water or stock (enough to cover -- use your best judgment)
a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
your favorite (or handy) blend of seasonings

brown turkey sausage in a bit of olive oil and/or butter in a pot to crumble(mine is unseasoned, so i added paprika, pepper, and a pinch of salt).
remove sausage and put on paper towel to drain.
into rendered fat, add sliced onions, saute for a few minutes until slightly softened. (i add red pepper flakes -- i like HEAT.)
add garlic and jalapeno, continue to saute until softened completely.
add potatoes and cabbage, continue to saute for a few minutes.  salt and pepper to taste (i like a LOT of pepper).
pour over hot/boiling water, enough to cover plus an inch or so(?)
bring to a boil, lower head to low/medium-low, cook for 45 minutes.
10 minutes before cooking time is finished, add sausage back to the soup.
just before serving, stir in parsley.
serve, enjoy, and warm up!

this is enough to easily server four large helpings (maybe with seconds)! 

this is fantastic with a good crusty bread!  i love the heat, and it's totally filling and hearty.  fairly easy, and it's sort of a blank canvas.  i threw in some old bay seasoning, a dash or two of cinnamon, some dried basil and thyme, and what i had left of some frozen broccoli (before the water goes in), but use your imagination!    you could also use stock instead of water, but it doesn't need it.  so save a few bucks and go with good ol' water.  and, as with pretty much any soup, it's even better the next day!