Olive Garden Toscana Soup

It's still very much soup weather here, although on the day you will read this post, we should be in the middle of a couple of days of "fake spring", where we'll be in the upper-50's and the bulbs in my yard will be feeling a little schizophrenic with that temperature and then then the return to colder weather that will follow. 

I like soup in cold weather and I usually make it once a week. This was last week's new recipe and it was really good and tastes even better when served in snowman bowls.....really.

Olive Garden Toscana Soup

• 1 1/2 cup spicy sausage links (I used a pound of Italian sausage links. You could use any "hotness" that you like.)
• 6 slices of bacon
• 3/4 cup diced onions
• 1 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons chicken base (This is a little different from chicken bouillon although I think bouillon would work. You might have to season the soup a little more. I find it in the bulk food section of my store)
• 1 Quart water
• 2 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4" slices
• 2 cups kale leaves, cut in half, then sliced (I had some bagged baby spinach that I used instead. It's a little more tender than the kale.)
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place sausage links onto a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until done; cut into half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2" slices. Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Add chicken base, water and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes. Add sausage, kale and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve. Serves 5

Comments

[Little Sis]

Spinach? Kale? I think it would still be good without either, so that's the road I'm going to take.

[margaret]

I have a recipe that very similar,and a favorite at our house!