Olive Garden Toscana Soup
Ingredients:
# 1 lb ground Italian sausage
# 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
# 1 large diced white onion
# 4 tablespoons bacon, pieces
# 2 teaspoons garlic paste
# 10 cups water
# 5 chicken bouillon cubes
# 1 cup heavy cream
# 1 lb sliced russet potato (about 3 large)
# 1/4 bunch fresh kale, cut in small pieces
Directions:
1. Sautee the sausage and crushed red pepper flakes in pot.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onion, and garlic for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic in a large stock pot. Cook until boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage.
7. Add kale just before serving.
8. Notes: I make this soup slightly different.
9. I sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet.
10. In a stockpot (sometimes large crock pot,) I put 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the red pepper flakes, garlic, 6 tbsp bacon bits (Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits) water, bouillon, and potatoes. (I use 10 medium size potatoes, peeled and cut in small pieces).
11. When the sausage and onion are done, I add it to the stockpot, and cook till the potatoes are soft.
12. Then I add either 1 bunch of Kale, or a 16 oz. bag of prewashed and cut Kale, and cook until the Kale is tender, about 15 minutes.
13. Then I add the cream, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
14. This amount fills a large stockpot; the only difference being that my version has much more vegetables in it.
15. This is comfort food at its finest.
16. (Kale can be found in the produce department of most grocery stores).
