Winter Comfort

This delicious soup recipe came from my friend Jackie, who can recreate a recipe out of thin air. It has become one of my family's absolute favorites! If you like the Zuppa Tuscana soup at Olive Garden, you'll love this, and trust me- this is better! My personal opinion is that the red pepper does it (be generous with it!), but let's not analyze this culinary wonder too closely- just enjoy it!

Being the I-don't-wanna-cook-tonight kind of cook that I am, I take lots of shortcuts, like using frozen chopped onion and refrigerated garlic, ... things that probably make you cooking purists drop your jaw in culinary horror. But whatever works, right? And since they apparently don't sell cannellini beans anywhere in my entire city, I use Great Northern beans instead. I have to double this for my clan so we can be assured of leftovers, and you'll want leftovers too, so make plenty! And without further ado, here is...

Better-than-Olive-Garden Soup

otherwise known by its much more boring title:

Sausage and Kale Soup

1 lb mild Italian Sausage

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

1 large bunch kale with center ribs removed

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 lbs unpeeled small potatoes, washed and sliced

2 qts chicken broth

salt to taste

red pepper flakes

pinch of dried thyme flakes

1 C cream

Crumble and brown sausage until no longer pink, then drain. Set sausage aside. In a large soup pot, fry onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add chicken broth, beans and sausage to pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. Cut kale into medium shred and add with potatoes. Add thyme, salt and red pepper (I am generous with the red pepper- our family likes a little "kick") Simmer for another 30 minutes and add the cream just before serving. (Do not boil after you add the cream or it will curdle.)

Enjoy!