One Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, aka: I used what I had and it turned out Great!!

One Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, aka:  I used what I had and it turned out Great!!  

While there is still a nip in the evening air, and rain, and rain, and rain, let’s hit that soup pot up again!  I don’t know about you, but I have garden plants that are begging to go outside and play in the we-are-ready garden spots.  I have told them that the house quarantine is for their protection from a typical, multiple-personality, springtime in Tennessee.  Still, they lean toward the windows trying to get as much sunlight as possible until temperatures in Tennessee decide to stop threatening to freeze them during one of these crispy nights.  This is one of my most requested recipes.  Not long ago my son sent me the following picture and asked,“Any ideas on making this Hill Farm sausage the star of dinner?  I’ve got broccoli, rice, pasta, a little bit of ham and bacon.  Some canned stuff.  What would you do with a pound of sausage?.”

Feeling like I was a sudden player in Guy’s Grocery Game (food channel), I accepted the challenge.  My first thought was a twist on a soup that Olive Garden makes, Zuppa Tuscana.  Translation is:  Tuscan soup.  As I said earlier, this one “plays” every time I make it for people.  So, below is the recipe I use along with substitute suggestions.  It is almost like playing “gossip” – remember that game?  One person whispers a sentence or two to another person and then that person whispers what they thought they heard to the person next to them.  The result is that by the time the sentence has been passed from person to person multiple times, the outcome barely, if at all, resembles the original sentence.  That games ends funny – this soup ends delicious regardless of the sensible subs you make.

Ingredients

16 oz spicy Italian sausage (non-sage sausage; ADD Italian seasonings) 

8 slices of bacon – chop then brown (cut with kitchen scissors is easiest way) – you can sub
            country ham diced very small and browned, or Pancetta – dice, brown 

½ large onion diced – can use onion powder 

2-3 cloves of garlic minced – can use garlic powder 

28 oz chicken broth – can use chicken bouillon cubes and water + 2T butter

3 cups water (I use all chicken broth) (ditto previous) 

5 medium russet potatoes thinly sliced (use mandolin) – can use canned potatoes or frozen hash browns – estimate equal amounts and cook longer if using hash browns

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional (they are not optional) – sub powdered Cayenne
              pepper

Salt and pepper 

4 cups chopped kale – I always sub spinach – can use broccoli, asparagus, even chopped
          Brussels sprouts 

1 cup heavy whipping cream or whole milk with about 2T of corn starch (might take 3T)

Parmesan cheese

Instructions – all these are “or sub” in place of what is listed:

1.     Brown sausage in a large pot or dutch oven.

2.     Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3.     Cut bacon into small pieces.

4.     Add bacon to pot and cook until crispy.

5.     Stir in chopped onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is translucent.

6.     Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

7.     Add chicken broth and water to the pot. Add crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

8.     Add thinly sliced potatoes (I use a mandolin) and the cooked sausage to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

9.     Continue cooking until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

10.  Add the “green leaf/veggie” to the soup, and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

11.  Stir in the heavy cream and let heat through.

12.  Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese

Crusty, buttered, French bead is the perfect companion.  You are going to want to do some sopping so go ahead and warn your fellow supper companions.  Better eaten with bread than with a spoon, if that is humanly possible.  Reheats beautifully – do not freeze, you won’t like the defrosted results – it will be watery, runny, unappealing.  

What is APPEALING is sharing this with someone who needs to see your happy face – from 6+ feet away!  So fun to leave on someone’s porch and then text them as you drive away.  “Who was that masked man/woman?”  (Reference to The Lone Ranger.) If you are not watching westerns right now, you should be.  You can catch many oldies-but-goodies on Me-TV and on INSP whatever channels those are on whatever service you watch TV on.  Good guys always win, people who get shot do not bleed on camera, no bad words, and usually a little life lesson worth learning.  Hi-ho, Silver, away!!!  (Now, you will have to look that up!)