Soup & Salad Night ~ Zuppa Toscana, Baby!

Presentation of food is a big thing to me.  It obviously isn't everything, but apparently, it really helps with ignorant eaters.  If it looks fantabulous, then it's the best they've ever experienced.  Which I can handle.

I love making my food look pretty.  Satisfies something way down deep in me.  I promise I'm not that much of a freak.  Just sounds like it.  A lot.

A tidbit for those that would like to impress for less - find a dish that looks like you've already knocked it outta the park.  Good chance, when your peeps bite into it, you'll already have them hooked by the way of them just admiring your beautifully prepared food.

Tonight was a simple soup & salad night.  Who doesn't love that combo?  My suggestion for your next soup/salad menu - go with the following and you will not be disappointed.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana and a Cobb Salad.

For the salad, grab what you love and assemble it like so on a bed of leaf lettuce and romaine hearts.  I had chicken, boiled eggs, grape tomatoes, avocado, shredded mozzarella and bacon.  You can do a tasty balsamic vinaigrette (which takes just a couple more minutes to whip up) or you can stick with Peppercorn Ranch like we did tonight.  Actually that soup was just begging to be eaten, and I didn't want to spend a mere second longer in the kitchen.

The Zuppa Toscana was AHHHH (singing a high C kinda ahhhhh)!  I adapted the recipe slightly.  Definitely could have eaten a couple more bowls.  Even my 2-year old was slurping the last bits of his second bowl out like he hadn't eaten in several days...which in reality, he had just consumed three waffles with preserves moments before dinner.  More waffles than any one person should probably consume in a week.  Let alone, one afternoon.

Let me say this to protect myself.  If you are looking for the exact recipe for Olive Garden's soup, this will not be the exact depending on the type of Italian sausage you buy.  The exactness is probably determined by the spiceyness, but I loved this.  Enough of the exact-ic-ities. ;)

Recipe for the soup.  Here you go.

Star Rating: ★★★★★

RECIPE: Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Adapted from Pastry Affair

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 tea. paprika

1 white onion, chopped

2 tea. garlic, minced

8-10 C. chicken broth

Red pepper flakes, optional (I only put a dash or two to spice things up a bit.) 

4-5 Russet potatoes, sliced 1/4" thin

1 C. heavy whipping cream

2-3 C. kale

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated parmesan for topping

Instructions:

Brown sausage with paprika.  Once cooked, move sausage to another bowl and drain excess fat.  Set aside.  

Use the same pan.  Add onions and garlic and cook to soften, about 10 minutes.  Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add sliced potatoes and simmer until they are softened, about 25-30 minutes.  Add heavy whipping cream, kale and sausage.  Cook until thoroughly heated.  Garnish with parmesan.

Indulge.  In at least 4 bowls.  It's almost fat-free.

UPDATE: Those of you who don't get me - that last line was a total falsehood.  TOTAL.  

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