Zuppa Toscana Soup

de·lec·ta·ble/diˈlektəbəl/Adjective

1. (of food or drink) Delicious.

2. Extremely beautiful.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup is my favorite.  So, yesterday I attempted to make it based on some recipes I found online.  I also decided to try it in the crock pot (Why don't I use that more??).  All day long the beautiful aroma filled the house and made our mouths water.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was making Zoe's mouth water too. ha!

Anyway, as promised to a few of you who requested the recipe, here it is!  If you are like me, you like to revise recipes to your own tasting.  I am posting the recipe exactly how I made it, but I will also give you the link to what i revised it from.

Zuppa Toscana

• 1 LB Mild Sausage
• 4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes dissolved to 4 cups of water
• 1 cup of water
• 3 large potatoes (cubed)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup of onion
• Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream
• Kale

Brown the sausage.  I added some cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, & italian seasoning to the sausage as it cooked.  Begin cubing the potatoes & chopping the onion and garlic.  Combine browned sausage, potatoes, onions, garlic, water, & chicken broth to Crock Pot.  I added some more cayenne and crushed red pepper since i like that extra spice. Cook on high for 5-7 hours.  Before serving, add a tablespoon of cream & some chopped of Kale to to each bowl.

This is the website I took the recipe from. http://www.cafemom.com/group/103285/forums/read/12729282/Zuppa_Toscana_recipe

It was SOOOOO yummy.  The perfect comfort soup on a frigid evening.  I cannot wait to eat the leftovers today too.  I'm sure it may even be better!

Please share your thoughts and revisions if you make this recipe too.  I would love to hear your thoughts. :-)

All the best,

Me

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My Happy New Year

As I sit here, Zoe is curled up next to me on the couch, I am brainstorming about our photography, & the smell of my homemade Zuppa Toscana soup is filling my house with amazing smells!  There is absolutely no music or tv on right now and I love it.  I feel like I can hear my own thoughts.  I think I am finally emerging from my burrow and feeling creative again.

TJ & I ended Charlotte Photography's 2010 year GREAT!  But, around Christmas, I crawled into a little comfortable hole and have been relaxing ever since.  I wasn't very creative during that time, though I enjoyed everyone else's creativity. :-)

Today I spent the afternoon making soup and organized a couple cabinets in my kitchen.  It's kinda like my New Years Day, the beginning of 2011 for me. Haha.  I think it's ok to have those times of rest, a time to reset.  If I kept forcing myself to do anymore, I know I would have been burnt out.  I love that the Lord gave us these snow days this week.  There are tons of things I could have made myself do, but instead I spent time relaxing and eating. LOL.  Oh did I snack!

Anyway, here's to the beginning of my 2011 creativity.  I will definitely be blogging about my homemade Zuppa Toscana.  It is my favorite Olive Garden soup!  Pictures & Recipe to come.

All the best,
Me