Zuppa Toscana (sausage and potato soup from olive garden)

This is a household favorite. We have LOVED this soup since the first time we have tried it at olive garden. My fiance asked me to make it one day, and I must say it tastes pretty close to it, if not exactly like it. I have never tried Kale until I made this soup, I actually had a hard time finding it the first time i went to the store because I didn't know exactly what it looked like ha ha, but its right next to the collards and similar types of greens.

Here is what you will need...

2 cups Kale
1 lb Hot ground sausage
4 strips Bacon
1/2 Onion diced
1 cup Heavy Cream
4 cloves Garlic minced
2 large Russet Potatoes Sliced 1/2 inch thick
5 tablespoons Chicken Bouillon
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Peppers
8 cups Water

In a Large pot, fry the ground sausage with the crushed red peppers, until cooked.

Once its cooked, empty the pot onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess fat.

Now in the same pot, add your four strips of bacon, you can add more if you like. The more bacon the merrier...but four strips is what I like to use. Once the bacon is cooked in the pan take it out with some tongs or a fork, and leave the bacon grease in the pan (which helps flavor your soup) and now chop your bacon into small pieces.

Now chop your onion...

And add it to the pan with your bacon and fry together until the onions are translucent and soft

OH! add in the garlic

AND the chicken bouillon!

Now that you have your base which will create the amazing flavor to your soup, add in the water.

Then add in the potatoes until soft

Then add in the heavy cream, the kale and reintroduce the sausage. Boil for about 5 minutes...

Then serve with a nice glass of wine and a salad or pasta =]