Zuppa Toscana

Hey! Sorry for my absence. I really have no excuse except to say we've been making a lot of spaghetti and macaroni and cheese due to not-feeling-well and general laziness. But I'm back with one of my favorites: Zuppa Toscana! I mentioned it in my last post and will now be sharing the goodness with you! I stole was given the recipe by my mother-in-law and has since been a hit with my siblings and my fake son Gary, who we have over for dinner as often as he wants to walk the half an hour to our apartment from his dorm. More fans are forthcoming, I guarantee it.


Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage

1/2 lb. smoked bacon - chopped

1 qt. water 

Two 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth*

2 (or more!) lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed

2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed

1 med. onion - peeled, chopped

2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard

1 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half

salt and pepper - to taste

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.

-Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

-Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.

-Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

 

I could eat this every day. Soooo delicious. It tastes BETTER than Olive Garden's version.

* A note about chicken broth: Getting the actual cans (or box) of broth is EXCEEDINGLY preferable to using chicken bouillon cubes or powder to make the broth. I learned from experience that bouillon makes it extremely salty. There are other options for broth (such as the "Better than Bouillon" paste) that I haven't tried yet, but canned or boxed chicken broth hasn't failed me yet!