Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

1 lb ground turkey (with spices to make it like sausage)
1/2 lb bacon chopped (I also use bacon bits in a pinch)
4 c. Chicken Broth
3 c. Water
1 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
4-5 Red potatoes scrubbed clean and cubed
1 tsp minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 med onion chopped
2 c chopped kale
1 c. heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste.

In dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown turkey with spices to make it turkey sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it, drain and set aside.

In the same dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon, remove and set aside. Leave 2 TBSP of rendered bacon fat in the skillet. (OR use bacon bits instead of this step.

Saute the potatoes, onion and garlic in the bacon fat over medium or low-medium heat. (or a little Olive Oil) Saute until onion begins to be translucent and the potatoes have still a little firm, but beginning to soften .

Add the turkey sausage, bacon, broth, water and bouillon to the pot. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Add kale, whipping cream and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir, blend for a bit on medium-low heat.

Enjoy.
Freezes well.

Serving Size: Makes 8 1 cup servings

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CONWA30.