Foodie Friday: Tuscan Soup (Guest Post)

Today, my great friend and wonderful cook/baker, Jenny, will be sharing a recipe from her kitchen for Foodie Friday!! Enjoy!

Earlier this week my dear friend and sister-in-law asked if I’d like to be a guest on Foodie Friday here at Bowl of Cherrys. I was delighted, honored, and uncertain of what to feature. Since I love to bake, love to cook, and firmly believe that recipes are a guide not a rule, I’m always coming up with new things in my kitchen. But what should I share with the loyal fans of Foodie Friday? It had to be special. Then a mutual friend suggested a soup since she is looking for new recipes. She was right. A soup, or stew, or chili would be great since (at least around my house in Wisconsin) Fall has fallen. This past week has been filled with days when a pot of warm simmering soup, some fresh bread, a cozy pair of slippers, and a sweater just feel right. I was looking for a homemade comfort food that would invite you to curl up and enjoy. Since this mutual friend happens to be a fan of the Olive Garden restaurant I picked a soup I’ve played with and modeled after the sausage-potato soup served on the lunch menu there. Olive Garden calls it ‘Zuppa Tuscana.’ Since I’m not actually Italian and want to avoid copyright infringement, I simply call mine ‘Tuscan Soup.’

Thanks for letting me into your kitchen.

Tuscan Soup
16 oz. ground Italian sausage
6 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ pint fresh sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 T Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 tsp caraway seed
5 small potatoes, washed and chopped
4 oz. cream cheese
½ bunch kale, sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain and return to pan. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until vegetables are becoming tender. Add broth, soup, seasoning, and cream cheese. Stir to soften cream cheese and blend together soup. Add potatoes. Bring to medium boil and simmer gently until potatoes are to desired tenderness. Toss in kale and simmer 3-5 minutes until kale is to desired tenderness. Top each bowl with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and serve with warm bread.