Soups On

Hello Friends-

I've got a lot of other things on my mind and until I am ready to write about them I just feel like posting a recipe for my favorite soup. Cooking for me is a way to redirect my thoughts that might be consuming me (pun intended). Creating something that others will enjoy warms my soul like this recipe below.

So when I go to restaurants, I'm always looking at my meal or the other meals at our table to see if I can duplicate them at home. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Below is one I was successful in creating in my own way. After a string of visits to a family friendly Italian restaurant known to many people in these parts, I decided to skip paying a tip on a "soup, salad and bread" meal and make my own version of my favorite soup. It's always fun to make your own version at home and save money in the process.

Sausage Potato Soup
Servings: 10-12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Crock Pot Time: 5-6 hours on high, 10-12 hours on low
By: Kirsten Shabaz

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pound Italian sausage or turkey sausage browned, drained
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 unpeeled baking potatoes, sliced
12 cups chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper *for less spice, use ½ teaspoon
2 leaves of green kale sliced into small strips
½ - ¾ cup of heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper
1 loaf of crusty French bread

DIRECTIONS
*Cook the sausage, onion and garlic in a medium sized pan over medium high heat for 10-12 minutes or until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are tender and translucent. Break the sausage up into small pieces as it cooks. HINT: To remove the excess fat from the sausage; drain on a paper towel before putting into the soup pot.
*While the sausage is cooking, scrub unpeeled potatoes well and cut in half lengthwise then sliced to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick half moon slices.
*In a large pot, combine the cooked sausage mixture, sliced potatoes, chicken stock or broth, rubbed sage, thyme and cayenne pepper. Add salt and pepper to your taste at this time. Simmer for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender.
*Right before serving, add the sliced kale and heavy whipping cream. Stir well to combine and ladle into your serving bowls.
*Serve with slices of crusty French bread. Enjoy!

**Kale can be purchased at your local grocery store in the produce department.

NOTE: This can also be prepared in a crock pot for 10-12 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high for a ready to eat meal after a long day at work or school.

Til next time,
Kirsten