Soup its Whats for Supper !
Since I was a little girl I have always loved Olive Garden. Mainly all you can eat soup, bread sticks and salad. Ok, ok, nix the salad in that. I love soup and bread sticks! When they came out with Zuppa Tuscana not only was I in love with it but my whole family was. We have been known to sit and analyze our bowls of soup to try and figure out what makes it the best.
I never tried to make it until after I married Dean. My first try I followed a copy-cat recipe. It was ok but it wasn't "IT".
While cruising along the produce department of the grocery store I decided to try and make Zuppa again. I'm so glad I did. But this time I didn't use a recipe. I used my taste buds and memory of what it should taste like. It was so close to having the actual stuff that in a blind taste test it would have been very,very close.
Along with the soup I set the bread machine out to mix up some dough for bread sticks. They turned out great as well. The recipe for those came out of the bread machine manual. I thanked the machine for all its hard work for kneading and correct rising temperature. While I got to working on the soup while it was working on bread dough.
I'm really sorry I didn't take any pictures. Hopefully I will next time.
This makes a huge pot of soup enough for 6-8 people along with small seconds as well.
1 quart - Chicken Stock
( I use Kitchen Basics, very flavorful )
1 quart - Half and Half
1 quart - Whole Milk
1 lbs - Bob Even's Regular Italian Sausage
4 slices - THICK Cut Bacon, chopped into very small pieces
1 - Onion fine diced
2 cloves- Garlic Minced
2-3 - Large Potatoes, sliced.
( Don't slice to thin or they will fall apart in the cooking process)
1 bunch - Italian, Flat Leaf Parsley, chop into small pieces
1 large bunch of Organic Kale, Chopped into bite size pieces
( I've tried to use other types of Kale but organic has the best texture)
Red pepper Flakes to taste
( I had to add more than I thought I would to get the proper ZING)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese to top with in the individual bowls.
Do Not try and use anything other than actual HALF AND HALF , non dairy creamer is disgusting period so dont try and cook with it! Do Not try and use anything other than WHOLE Milk either. This is not a light dish and shouldn't be made so either!
Grab a LARGE Pot
Brown sausage till its completely cooked, scoop it out into a draining bowl. With some sausage fat still in the pan toss bacon pieces into cook. DO NOT Crisp the bacon, cook it long enough to melt some of the fat and edible. Scoop out the bacon, place in the same bowl as the sausage. Drain out all but a tablespoon or so of the bacon fat to saute the onions and garlic. Be careful not to burn the onions and garlic lower the heat and keep stirring until they turn a light golden color. Now, through all the meat back into the pot, put in the sliced potatoes, and the Chicken stock. Bring to a low boil until the potatoes are cooked. Once the potatoes are nice and tender add the Half and Half, Milk , Salt, Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes. Taste and season accordingly. NOW, toss the Kale and Parsley in, stir and let simmer on very low heat until Kale is welted into the soup. Once welted you can turn it off and serve with warm bread sticks and ENJOY !
This was enough soup to make two meals for four adults. It is filling and always hits the right spot.
Dean did point out that if we used Pancetta instead of Bacon it would probably taste even better.
I never tried to make it until after I married Dean. My first try I followed a copy-cat recipe. It was ok but it wasn't "IT".
While cruising along the produce department of the grocery store I decided to try and make Zuppa again. I'm so glad I did. But this time I didn't use a recipe. I used my taste buds and memory of what it should taste like. It was so close to having the actual stuff that in a blind taste test it would have been very,very close.
Along with the soup I set the bread machine out to mix up some dough for bread sticks. They turned out great as well. The recipe for those came out of the bread machine manual. I thanked the machine for all its hard work for kneading and correct rising temperature. While I got to working on the soup while it was working on bread dough.
I'm really sorry I didn't take any pictures. Hopefully I will next time.
This makes a huge pot of soup enough for 6-8 people along with small seconds as well.
1 quart - Chicken Stock
( I use Kitchen Basics, very flavorful )
1 quart - Half and Half
1 quart - Whole Milk
1 lbs - Bob Even's Regular Italian Sausage
4 slices - THICK Cut Bacon, chopped into very small pieces
1 - Onion fine diced
2 cloves- Garlic Minced
2-3 - Large Potatoes, sliced.
( Don't slice to thin or they will fall apart in the cooking process)
1 bunch - Italian, Flat Leaf Parsley, chop into small pieces
1 large bunch of Organic Kale, Chopped into bite size pieces
( I've tried to use other types of Kale but organic has the best texture)
Red pepper Flakes to taste
( I had to add more than I thought I would to get the proper ZING)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese to top with in the individual bowls.
Do Not try and use anything other than actual HALF AND HALF , non dairy creamer is disgusting period so dont try and cook with it! Do Not try and use anything other than WHOLE Milk either. This is not a light dish and shouldn't be made so either!
Grab a LARGE Pot
Brown sausage till its completely cooked, scoop it out into a draining bowl. With some sausage fat still in the pan toss bacon pieces into cook. DO NOT Crisp the bacon, cook it long enough to melt some of the fat and edible. Scoop out the bacon, place in the same bowl as the sausage. Drain out all but a tablespoon or so of the bacon fat to saute the onions and garlic. Be careful not to burn the onions and garlic lower the heat and keep stirring until they turn a light golden color. Now, through all the meat back into the pot, put in the sliced potatoes, and the Chicken stock. Bring to a low boil until the potatoes are cooked. Once the potatoes are nice and tender add the Half and Half, Milk , Salt, Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes. Taste and season accordingly. NOW, toss the Kale and Parsley in, stir and let simmer on very low heat until Kale is welted into the soup. Once welted you can turn it off and serve with warm bread sticks and ENJOY !
This was enough soup to make two meals for four adults. It is filling and always hits the right spot.
Dean did point out that if we used Pancetta instead of Bacon it would probably taste even better.
So What's your favorite Soup? Why?
I love soup !
ENJOY!
~Bethany~
Sounds wonderful...would you HAVE to use kale?? Kale is barfy...barf, barf, barfy.
ReplyDeletePS....did ya make enough bacon for bites??? Bacon bites are the best when you are cooking.
DeleteKale is NOT barfy!! If your son will eat it and enjoy it twice in two days there's no reason why you can't. I personally love kale and grew up eating cabbage, kale, spinach. I guarantee if the kale was missing the soup, you could tell that it was lacking something. If I invite you over to dinner one night, you may end up eating it for supper. And you being polite wouldn't refuse a bowl of my delicious, homemade soup. Muhahaha! Evil Genius Daughter In Law, who makes you eat veggies!! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd no I didn't eat any of the bacon, I didn't want to take any from the soup. Bacon makes it wonderful!
Taps foot...waiting on invitation....lolol
ReplyDeleteI love cabbage and spinach....and bacon.....
I mean cooked cabbage, spinach and such. :) That is what I grew up eating. When the house doesn't look like a flying disaster I'll have you out for a meal sometime. :)
ReplyDelete