Sausage & Kale Soup

I seriously LOVE this soup.  It's a great combination of flavors and I spice it up quite a bit with red pepper flakes.  I used Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe's but I'm interested in tryng it with a hot sausage next time.  There's no flour to thicken the base so it's gluten free!  Make sure you notice that this is supposed to serve 12 . . . easily halved for a smaller crowd.

The Pioneer Woman's Sausage and Kale Soup (serves 12)

Original Recipe here

2 bunches Kale, Picked Over, Cleaned, And Torn Into Bite Sized Pieces

12 whole Red Potatoes, Sliced Thin

1 whole Onion, Chopped

1-1/2 pound Italian Sausage

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more to taste)

2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 cups Whole Milk

4 cups Half-and-half

Splash Of Heavy Cream (optional)

Fresh Or Dried Oregano

Black Pepper To Taste

Prepare the kale and set it aside.  In a medium pot. boil sliced potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, crumble and brown the Italian sausage with the chopped onion. Drain as much as the fat as you can. Stir in the red pepper flakes, oregano, chicken broth, milk, and half-and-half. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the potatoes, a splash of heavy cream for richness (optional), then stir in the kale. Simmer an additional 10-15 minutes, then serve.