Next Best Thing

What can you do when the closest Olive Garden is 3 hours away? Pretend you're there by making your own Zuppa Toscana.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup

Recipe

• 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage – crumbled
• 1/2 lb. smoked bacon – chopped
• 1 qt. water
• (2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
• 2 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
• salt and pepper – to taste

Directions

1. Brown sausage in a pan over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.
2. Drain sausage and set to the side.
3. Brown bacan in a pan over medium-high heat. Be careful not to cook crispy.
4. Drain bacon and set to the side.
5. Place broth, water, garlic, potatoes, and onion in a pot.
6. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
7. Add sausage and bacon to the soup.
8. Simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add kale and cream to pot.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Heat thoroughly.

Add some salad and breadsticks and you just might fool yourself into thinking you're actually there. (I just can't believe I made this today - mid-June - to cut the chill from the air.)