Zuppa Toscana Soup

Delicious! Make again!

 https://www.thechunkychef.com/slow-cooker-zuppa-toscana/

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage (mild can be substituted)
• 8 slices bacon, diced (divided)
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp flour (cornstarch can be substituted)
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 bunch kale (a couple of handfuls) de-stemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes. optional

Instructions

• Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot over MED-HIGH heat.  Add a small drizzle of oil, then brown sausage, crumbling as it cooks.  Drain well, then remove to a plate.
• Fry bacon is residual sausage grease until crisp, then remove to plate with the sausage.  Drain all but 1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp of bacon grease.
• Add onion to pot and cook 5 minutes, adding garlic the last minute.  
• Sprinkle flour over onion and garlic in pot, then stir to combine.  Pour in chicken stock, stirring as you pour.  Add in potatoes and bring to a boil.
• Gently boil about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.  Add in cooked sausage, most of the bacon, heavy cream and kale.  Stir and cook 5-10 minutes until kale is wilted.
• Taste and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.  Top with remaining bacon and enjoy!

Biscuits & Gravy

 Biscuits & Gravy

Biscuits (do a half recipe next time)

• 4 Cups self-rising flour
• 2 tbsp baking power
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 sticks butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice (or buttermilk)

1. chop butter into tiny pieces mix in kitchen aid with flour mixed with baking power and soda until pieces are pea sized
2. stir in beaten eggs with spoon until combined
3. stir in buttermilk
4. refrigerate for 30mins
5. cut with biscuit cutter, brush with milk
6. place on jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper
7. Bake at 400* for 15-20 mins

Gavy

• mild pork sausage
• 1/4 cup flour (more as needed to thicken)
• 2 cups milk (more as needed to thin)
• salt & pepper

1. Cook sausage in skillet. Remove from skillet.
2. Whisk flour into to sausage grease
3. Bring to a simmer & cook until thickened (about 5 min)
4. if too thin, add 1 tbsp flour. If f too thick, add 1 tbsp milk.
5. aadd sausage back into gravy. season with salt & pepper