Copy Cat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

I have adapted this recipe from a number of sources online to more or less replicate the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden.  I have been making it for so long I don't even remember where I got the original inspirations. Sadly, no picture because we gobbled it up and gave the leftovers to my mother-in-law.  It's a creamy colored soup with curly green bits of chopped up kale and  flecks of brown from the potato skins.

Ingredients

• 1 large diced white onion
• 1/2 lb ground mild or sweet Italian sausage
• ½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 4 cloves garlic
• A good bit of Oregano, Basil, and Rosemary (or a very nice Italian seasoning blend- I like Penzey's)
• 4-6 cups good chicken broth/ or use chicken bouillon (I mentioned before, I usually have homemade chicken stock boiling on the back burner and I love to use it for this kind of thing)
• 1 cup half and half
• 2-3 large Russet potatoes, sliced
• A bunch of kale, chopped- as much as you want to throw in (You can also use spinach or Swiss chard- these take only seconds to wilt so throw them in at the very last second)

Directions

1. Saute the onion until it softens and add the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes.  Cook til the sausage is cooked through and the onion is carmelized.  Drain excess fat if necessary.
2. Add the garlic and cook til fragrant.
3. Add chicken brothto the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until softened but not cooked all the way through.  Add the kale (if your kale is more tender you can wait til the potatoes are cooked through but if it is tough add it a bit earlier).  Boil a few more minutes til kale is soft and potatoes can be pierced with a fork
5. Add the half and half cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.