zuppa toscana

This is the time of year to curl up in front of the fire with a nice big bowl of comforting soup. My pick is a take on zuppa toscana, a well known restaurant favorite. This Italian soup is filled with hearty chunks of potato, sausage, and kale. It is full of flavor! A must try. I'll provide the copy cat recipe link here, but I wanted to share my version as well. My family likes it a little thicker, more like a chowder. Here's a list of ingredients:

1 lb of mild Italian sausage

2/3 cup of flour

4 large potatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups of kale, chopped and hard stems removed

2 (8oz) cans of chicken broth

1 quart of water

1 cup of heavy whipping cream

I start with breaking up the uncooked sausage and browning it in a big soup pot. Mix the minced garlic with the sausage as it cooks. Once it is browned, I add the flour. It is the same concept as making sausage gravy. Gradually add in the chicken broth, allowing it to thicken. Keep on low heat. Cut the potatoes into large bite-sized cubes, and place them in a separate pot of water. Cook them over medium heat until they are just about done, but not soft, then drain. Cut up the kale and place that and the potatoes in with the sausage and broth. Don't skimp on the kale. It is so good for you. I absolutely love kale and put lots in my soup. After the kale has been added abundantly, add the quart of water and heavy cream. Stir well and cook over medium heat until the kale is cooked all the way through and no longer crunchy. Usually takes about 20 minutes over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also add either a little cayenne or red pepper flakes for just a little extra spice.

And if you want to make it even better, I recommend making a bread bowl to go with it. A perfect way to warm up on a cold night.