Zuppa Toscana (ala Olive Garden)

If you are looking for an awesome "knock-off" version of Olive Garden's "Zuppa Toscana", look no further!  This is by far the best recipe I have found.  The original recipe is from Anderson Organics (where I get my local CSA Share from), and I have tweaked it very little.  Be sure to check out their site for more awesome recipes!

Here is what you will need:

I got the beautiful "Red Russian Kale" pictured above from their farm as well.  So good!  My boys got nuts whenever I pull some kale chips out of the oven.  Embrace the kale people.  Here is a great chart of the health benefits of kale...

Start by cooking the sausage, onion, celery, and a couple pinches of red pepper flakes...

When it is cooked through, remove to a paper towel lined plate...

Next, cook up your bacon...

Remove the bacon also to the paper towel lined plate with the sausage mixture...

Cook your garlic for about 20 seconds or so...

Add the broth, water, and chicken base...

This is good stuff!  This is probably the secret ingredient.  They also make an organic version...

Next cook your potatoes...

When the potatoes are tender, add back in the sausage mixture, bacon, and kale and cook for about 4 minutes.  Finally add the cream and heat through...

Mmmm....

Serve and enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

1/2 Package of either Bob Evans or Jimmy Dean Italian or Regular Sausage
1-2 Stalks of Celery
3/4 Cup Onions, diced
1-2 Pinches of Red Pepper Flakes
6 Slices of Bacon, diced
3 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Cups Kale Leaves, hard stems removed, cut in half, then sliced
2 Tbs. Chicken Base
1 Can of Chicken Broth
1 Quart (4 Cups) of Water
1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Cook sausage, onion, and celery in a large Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat until cooked through.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate.  Cook bacon in Dutch oven and also remove to the paper towel lined plate.  Add garlic and cook for about 20 seconds, until lightly browned.  Add broth, chicken base, water and potatoes.  Cook until potatoes are tender. Add sausage mixture, bacon, and kale and simmer for 4 more minutes until kale is tender.  Add cream, and heat through.

If you want to go for the whole Olive Garden experience, you could make a salad with this dressing, and these bread sticks from Our Best Bites.  I always top their bread sticks with lots of melted butter, the powdery Parmesan cheese from a can, and garlic salt with parsley flakes.  Yum!