Zupa Toscana Soup

Please pardon my neglect of blogging.  My husband took my kids up to go camping for four nights recently, and I savored every moment of that solitude.  Granted, I did have plenty of time to blog, but my husband had my camera with all my pictures on it.  So, here I am.  Refreshed and ready to share some tasty recipes.

Let me say a quick word on this soup.  I didn't have plans for dinner, but after August rains in Las Vegas all day, there is nothing like a good bowl of soup.  I was browsing through a cookbook and stumbled upon this recipe.  Normally, anything that has some crazy ingredient like kale, I would skip right over it.  However, I had kale on hand from my most recent Bountiful Basket.  Boy, am I glad I tried this recipe!  The spiciness from the sausage, and the smoothness from the cream is amazing.  My husband said that it was the best soup he'd ever had!  The flavor is dynamite!

Zupa Toscano Soup

source: Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

1 quart water

2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth

2 lg russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 c kale or Swiss chard, chopped

1 c heavy whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet.  As it cooks, break it into small pieces.  Once it is fully cooked, rinse it and set aside.  (The original recipe said that if it isn't rinsed, the soup would have a red tint to it.)  Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. Over medium-high heat, cook the bacon.  Drain and set aside. 

Place the water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in soup pot.  (One side note- I totally forgot to put in the water; however, I put in four c of chicken broth.  It turned out very smooth and creamy. I don't think I'd change a thing.)

Simmer this mixture over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about ten minutes.  Add the sausage and bacon and simmer for another ten minutes.  Add the kale or Swiss chard and the cream.  Season it with the salt and pepper and warm through.  Serve.