#i need to get ground chicken next week and try cooking it with that

[ordinary-barbie]

sick days.

Saxon Ratliff x fem!reader

summary: Saxon could be a bit of a baby while sick, but you loved him anyway.

tags: established relationship, some swearing, usage of baby and babe as pet names, Saxon being a total diva, bantering, Saxon can't cook, sickly sweet fluff

Saxon Ratliff was pretty sure he was dying.

Obviously, he wasn't—he was just battling a nasty cold. But he sure as hell felt like death right now. He couldn't remember the last time he was this miserable. (Well, that was a lie. His family losing all of their money and reputation really fucking sucked. But at least then his throat didn't feel like a cat was ripping into it with its claws.) He thought about pushing through and doing some work from home, but sitting upright and staring at a computer in his state did not seem like a fun time.

Besides, you would probably rip his head off if he tried to do anything but rest today.

"How are you feeling?" you asked, watching him sip the green tea you brewed for him.

Saxon sighed dramatically. "Baby...I think I'm dying."

You rolled your eyes, looking at your boyfriend fondly. "Sax, you're so dramatic." Honestly, you should be more sympathetic since this was kinda technically your fault. You were sick last week, and Saxon was the one taking care of you (even though he nearly made the kitchen explode while trying to cook chicken soup, bless his heart). You should've said no to him continuing to sleep in the same bed as you, and you definitely shouldn't have let him kiss you on the lips. And now you were paying the price for accepting a little love and affection.

"I should draw up a will," Saxon said. "I leave all of my Duke shirts and video game consoles to you."

"Oh wow, what a generous offer," you dryly replied. "But you'll be better before you know it."

"I wish I was working," Saxon muttered. "I can't just sit around here all day."

"Saxon Ratliff, you are going to enjoy this day off, you hear me?" you said. "I always worry about you running yourself into the ground between work and the gym. Just try to relax today, please? Not even for me. Do it for yourself."

Saxon sighed, pouting like a toddler. "Come to bed with me."

"No way, Saxon. You need to get some rest," you said, crossing your arms to show you meant business.

"I'll rest better with my gorgeous girlfriend lying right next to me," Saxon teased, smirking. He opened his mouth to say something else but flew into a hacking coughing fit instead. Then, he grabbed the tissue box on the bedside table and blew his nose loudly.

Somehow, you were deeply in love with this man.

-

When the Ratliffs were rich, they'd enjoyed their share of fine dining. Michelin-starred sushi omakase in Tokyo. Pappardelle with wild boar sauce in Florence. But right now, all of that paled in comparison to your homemade chicken soup.

Saxon closed his eyes, enjoying the richness of the broth and the warm, comforting aromas of the herbs and seasoning. Damn, he wished he could cook half as well as you did. ("Helps that I didn't grow up with people who were paid to cook for me," you teased him once.)

"You're welcome for the soup, by the way," you said, smirking.

Saxon looked up from his bowl to see you standing in the doorway, looking at him with a deep fondness in your eyes. "Sorry, I was just so hungry," he admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Thank you, baby. This is definitely better than whatever the the fuck I made last week."

You giggled. "You get points for trying! At least the chicken was cooked—even though it was to a crisp."

Saxon rolled his eyes, though he was smirking. "Love the backhanded compliments. What would I do without you?"

"You definitely wouldn't be having delicious homemade soup right now," you quipped. "Drink up, babe."

-

Nighttime crept up on you and Saxon before you knew it. Against your better judgment, you'd crawled into bed with him—Saxon was just too damn charming and persuasive.

"Appreciate you taking care of me today," Saxon mumbled into the nape of your neck. "Don't know what I'm gonna do when you go back to work tomorrow."

You lovingly squeezed Saxon's hand. "I'll miss you too, babe, but you'll be fine. There's plenty of leftover soup in the fridge, and I'll leave out the medicine on the kitchen island."

Saxon grimaced. "That stuff tastes like shit. Do I have to take it again?"

You rolled your eyes. "It doesn't taste any worse than your protein shakes."

"But those have protein, babe!" Saxon protested.

"But the medicine will help you feel better, babe," you mocked.

"I can't stand you," Saxon said, though he couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too," you teasingly responded. "Now get well soon so I can kiss you again, all right?"

[devoutekuna]

Cooking with him.

Includes- Toji, Sukuna, Nanami, Gojo, Geto

Sukuna-

He can cook but chooses not to, why would he cook if he has a personal chef to himself. Stood in the kitchen as he searched for some fruit, daughter tracing the markings he had on his legs. "Daddy lets cook for mama" the thought of spending time with her father was the only reason she wanted to cook. "No" a straight no, she knew that he'd need some convincing though.

"But, I've seen mummy and Uraume cook, I can do it!" Grabbing onto his leg as he tried to walk off, acting as if she was too heavy to kick off. "No you can't! Your incapable of cooking" Looking down at the pink haired girl staring so profusely up at him, doing her puppy eyes which would win anyone over.

Cutting up a few onions from the dish, sat ontop of the counter as she placed the onion in her lap, knife inches away from her thigh. "Don't do that, it's stupid" putting the onion and knife on the table so that he could place her on the stool. "Don't be stupid" stood right beside her as she cut it up, it was going so painfully slow,he was starting to get tired especially since she had two more to go. Having the dismantle technique, of course he's gonna use it to his advantage, throwing the onion up in the air as it sliced, leaving diced cubes along the counter top. "Awe, you got it all over the counter daddy" trying to brush the vegetable into a pile. "Shut up, you were going to slow."

Nanami-

An expert as he cooks most nights, especially when your too tired to prepare meals for the week, it was a simple task to him. "Lemme help you papa!" Hands making it onto the counter as he kneaded the dough, eyes sticking up from behind the counter. Glancing down and the blonde realising she was on a stool, no wonder she got so tall, already got her hair tied back into a ponytail and apron on. "I'm almost done darling" he felt a bit bad but he was so busy so he wanted to finish this quickly.

"Please!" Her crys, only convincing him that she should help him, all he had to do was cook the rice after washing it and cook the chicken. "I mean, you can do the rice?" He didn't trust her much with food since he knew that she was just a toddler and would make a mess.

"Uh oh" seeing the rice poured down the drain, all of it in the sink rather than the bowl. Atleast half of it going through the drain pipe already. "What happened here?" It was bound to happen, he tried not to act annoyed but he definitely was.

Gojo-

He doesn't know anything about cooking since he rarely cooked for himself, if he did it would just be a precooked meal.

"Right, how small am I cutting this?" Glancing at you for some guidance here, a look of distraught and confusion on his face as she saw what he would be cutting up next. He was tasked with all the vegetables since you thought it would be easier for him rather than the meat which you tasked your son with. "Dice it Satoru" looking over his shoulder as you inspected how small it should be.

"Hurry up! Mum says the vegetables go in before the chicken!" He clearly took his father's personality when it came to patience. "I'm trying my best here!" Though he says that he's good at everything, he was horrible when it came to food. Grabbing another knife from the drawer as you helped him out, you were hungry and wanted food already.

Geto-

He was smart about it, giving her an easy task like stirring the pot, somehow she messed that up, hearing the clutter of a pot hitting the floor, body in the fetal position as she looked at the mess. "Uh oh" the sound of his daughter's voice made him respond quickly, hands on his hips as he scanned the mess on the ground, food spilled all over the floor, boiling water all over his new tiles too. "Sorry papa" feeling a bit bad for the mess. "It's fine" it clearly wasn't as that was one of the main dishes. "As long as you aren't hurt then we're good" nodding her head in response.

Toji-

"Your lucky I can't find my wallet" stuck cutting up some potatoes into long rectangular shapes. His daughter clearly was enjoying this, pouring a bottle full of oil into the pan. "No! That's too much baby" taking the bottle from her hands as she giggled, watching as the oil started to splatter up into his face, throwing a lid onto the pan.

"Turn it down!" Shouting at him, she had seen you do this multiple times, so she acted like the boss when it came to cooking. "It's on the lowest heat!" Going back to the cutting of the potatoes. "Hurry up daddy!" Slapping his leg as she jumped up and down, it was her first time being allowed in the kitchen whilst someone was cooking, let alone helping them.

It was a few minutes after he poured the potatoes into the pan, he didn't know anything about making chips so it was a new experience for him. "You took too long! Mummy woke up" she wanted to surprise you with her cooking skills, making you a plate of chips before you woke up.

[hyunjinsbelovedamericano]

Vulnerable

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Sickfick :p, mention of fainting,sick Minho :(

Fluff, not proofread

Trying to post more frequently 🫡

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Minho always presented himself as tough and strong, whenever his soft side came out it would be treasured knowing the next time would be in ages. Minho hated being vulnerable, he didn't ever want to be seen as weak so whenever he was in pain he'd keep it to himself

What Minho also loved was being a hard worker, he would work as hard as he could, push himself as far as he can. He is not one to dissapoint. This only becomes an issue when he is in need of help but too stubborn to ask for it, he'd try and gaslight himself into thinking he's fine when in reality all he wants is to be cuddled and taken care of

Minho had fallen sick a few days ago, but he refused to slack off, he had many things on his to-do list and the group had to work hard for an upcoming album there's no way he could just take a break! Even though he felt light headed as he danced, he didn't stop. He wouldn't stop.

It began to worry you as you noticed Minho has been acting different, he'd always grab onto something every time he got up, staring off into space whenever he was doing something. You knew Minho was overworking himself, I mean this isn't the first time this has happened. But, this time it's different, he seems off.

You tried to talk to him about it but it only resulted in him saying 'I'm fine' or 'I'm just tired'. Minho only seemed to get worse only stressing you out even more, you told him many times to take care of himself and give himself a break but it was like talking to a wall ; he'd never listen.

One day, Minho stumbled into your shared apartment, he barley made it into the bedroom before he started feeling dizzy, stars corrupting his vision. Before he even knew it he collapsed on the hard cold floor a loud bang spreading throughout the house. This startled you and distracted you from whatever you could've been doing

You rushed to see what happened and your eyes found a tired Minho laying on the ground. Gasping, you lifted him up off the floor quickly laying him on the bed he was probably aiming for when he entered

"Oh, Minho what happened? Minho? Can you hear me?"

Minho eyes slowly fluttered open, he seemed to be a bit confused. What happened? Did he faint?

"What happened sweetheart? How are you feeling now? Are you hot? "

You put your hand on his forehead, frantically checking his temperature, you were worried sick about him and this just set you even more off edge

"What happened" Minho mumbled softly

"You collasped Minho! What's going on with you?"

Minho sighed as he recalled the past week, he stayed up late at night doing dance practice beside the fact he could barley breathe.

"I-i'm just a bit sick, I'll be fi-"

"Don't even try saying you'll be fine when you just fainted do you think I'm an idiot?You're obviously too sick to be overworking yourself, I'm taking care of you until you get better"

Minho was too weak to refuse and he let you transfer him onto the couch and cover him in fluffy blanket,turning on the TV for him and cooking him some chicken noodle soup.

You spoon-fed him the warm broth before feeding him some medicine,he kept on turning his head and whining about having to eat the medicine,saying it taste like feces and he'd rather lick the bottom of a shoe.

You both cuddled up together,with your eyes stuck on the television you failed to notice Minho dozing off on your chest. But once you did your eyes sparkled with awe, he looked so delicate, soft even. His pink lips were slightly parted exposing his cute bunny teeth.

He is oh so perfect

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Haven't posted in a while😞,but this month I swear I'll try my best

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[wildmtthyme]

Chapter 4: Simple Life

Warnings: Language?

Chapter Notes: Shampoo bottles, am-i-right?

Synopsis: Johnny's gone and Simon learns that he's not the only one who's grieving his loss so deeply. In their ruthless hunt for Makarov, the hunters become the hunted and the team is driven to ground. Simon should know better but he's got nowhere else to run. Nowhere but a small white wash cottage in the Orkney Isles. Johnny'd just have to forgive him for knocking on her door. He'd have to forgive him for a lot of things.

<- Chapter 3 - Chapter 5 ->

Series Masterlist

One Week Later

Simon stood at the kitchen sink, narrow eyes watching as she fed her chickens while he nursed a fresh, hot cup of tea. The early morning sun breaking over the horizon and lighting her hair up like it was on fire. He’d slept straight through that first day and into the second night… only to wake up in a daze on the second morning to the smell of hot cooked oats and bacon… the sound of a kettle going off and the low din of a radio broadcasting the weather.

Simple things for her simple life. He barely fit inside the shower, had to duck under the shower head just to wash his hair… and damn near knocked her shampoo bottles off the shelf at least three times before he gave up and just set them outside the stall and onto the floor. Her house wasn’t built for a man, not really. He saw that in the bright morning light when he sat at the small kitchen table and sipped his tea.

She came right out and asked if he brought trouble to her door. “Probably.” He’d said, honestly. She had chewed on her lower lip, her arms crossed over her chest, a large flannel shirt – much too large for her – holding her together in the then overcast morning light. The shirt was probably Johnny’s.

He’d stared at the glint of the slender gold wedding band she still wore… and avoided her gaze when she leaned down, her hands settled on the table to try and catch his eye. Tell me the truth, Simon. You runnin’ from the same fuckers that put holes in my Johnny? He winced around his eyes before he flicked them up to hold hers… and he saw… more than he cared to. He saw pain… dull and old but still there… but more than that… he saw worry. Not just worry over herself, either.

And much to his horror… he found himself telling her everything. From start to finish. All of it. When he was done, she was sitting in the chair across from him… fingers barely covering her mouth as she breathed shallowly… fear making the tendons in her neck flex. Price and Kyle? They’re okay, though, right? Simon lifted a shoulder just enough to indicate movement. They’re okay. She said after a beat, as if she were convincing them both.

His eyes had drifted, staring off into middle space when he felt her cool fingers on the back of his hand lightly. The barest of touches but it still startled him. You’re okay, too. That’s all that matters. She was on her feet, clearing away dishes in the next heartbeat. And she just left him sitting there wondering what the fuck she meant by that. Bed’s yours as long as you need it. Though, he didn’t sleep in it again. It only took him realizing that it was the only bedroom in the house for him to wage a silent protest and dig his heels in over the fact that he would be sleeping on the couch. Period.

Now… he watched her do her morning chores… while he finished his tea. Then… he’d get started on repairing one of the dry-stone fences in the rear of her property. There were a lot of little projects like that… things that just piled up. Things he could do. Things that would keep his mind blank and his body tired.

[ophexis]

Redguard Rice time!

Hello! It's been one hell of a few weeks but I did in fact make the Redguard Rice last week lmao. And had the leftovers today!

"Alright friends, let's get cooking!"

So this recipe was a first for many things! First time cooking with wild rice, first time cooking with lamb, and first time using molasses in something like this.

You start off with butter and onions, a classic. You get them nice and soft with some browning. I used way more onion than called for because onions are delicious. Then you add the ground lamb! It has a very "barn" aroma lmao.

You then add spices! This uses hot paprika, coriander seeds, molasses and chicken broth. Now I couldn't find hot paprika at all, so the plan was to use a little less paprika, and fill in the rest with cayenne pepper. But I kinda blacked out while putting in the paprika and instead I put twice as much paprika as the recipe asks for lmao. Then I still added some cayenne peppers. More paprika can't go too wrong. I also had ground coriander instead of whole seeds so I looked up ratios and used that! (I was also worried than coriander seeds would taste like coriander which I don't like!!!)

Once your stuff is seasonned, you add the rice and cook! I've never worked with wild rice before, and I'm pretty sure mine came out undercooked, oops. When I had the leftovers, I reheated them for like 10 mins in some extra boiling water and it really helped the texture.

This recipe is in the "sides" category, and it does feel a tad incomplete on its own so I steamed some brocoli (because life is hard and I couldn't bring myself to prep more veggies for the side) and added them to my plate. The recipe serves this with parsley, so I sprinkled dried parsley flakes that I had!

It came out pretty well, despite the slightly undercooked rice lol. The lamb flavor was very strong, so if you don't like lamb I would recommend just using a different protein, I'm sure it will work fine! I didn't hate it but if I was to remake this I'll probably just use beef or pork, which is also way easier to find (and probably cheaper) but it was worth it to try something new! I still have molasses and wild rice so I'll probably try it with pork soon.

This was pretty nice! New flavors, and it's easy to make as it only needs a single pot! And seems easy enough to customise to your tastes! Not a huge fan of lamb alas.

For some reason the recipe doesn't call for salt or pepper, but I did add salt to mine. And next time I think I would try to add garlic. (I don't remember if it had garlic but I feel like it didn't....).

If I was to rate it against the one other recipe I made from that cookbook though, the orsimer venison wins by a landslide haha. But I'm looking forward to trying this one again!

Thanks for your patience if you were one of the few looking forward to this!! Last few weeks have been a lot (Got sick! Changed projects at work!) and my mood has been a rollercoaster (downward) but I'd like to make a new poll for the next cookbook soon hopefully!

[apex-academy]

Chapter 6: The Decay of Our Lives (#13)

When I leave my room in the morning, chunks of pulled chicken and a few stray broccolis lie forlornly on the movie night table. Next to the open ranch dip.

”Did none of us put this away last night.”

Natural consequence of all the responsible people passing out, I guess. Still, yikes.

“Maybe I can take care of this before Aidan gets out here.” Don’t need a spiel on how many germs can grow in a room-temperature cup of ranch dressing.

I dispose of the offending leftovers without issue. Maybe I could save some of the less dangerous dishes? Hard to be overly concerned about waste here.

“The young master’s clearly got plenty of money to waste.”

Which can probably be assumed of someone called “young master.”

By a robot maid.

But it’s not like the student files had writeups on everyone’s exact socioeconomic statuses. I won’t be taking Ichiriki off the suspect list, but I can’t cross anyone off on those grounds, either. 

And I can’t go back and double-check the files.

What am I supposed to do? Just keep cooking and cooperating and hoping we aren’t forced to kill again? No telling when the next motive’s going to hit. I don’t want to just stand around waiting for it.

But what else can I do?

What do I have the strength to do, at this point?

Before I can spiral or un-spiral or anything else, a door clicks open. It takes me a second to catch back up with reality.

“......”

I’m not the only one, apparently.

“Oh, Kakumi! Good morning!”

Yeah, I’m complaining about my strength when he’s like this?

“Morning.”

“Looks like you could afford to sleep in a little more.”

“I have no intention of doing so, thank you.”

“I’m not sure that I could go back to sleep regardless.”

“Just hard to nod off?” Or...

“Nightmares?”

“I’m not sure if I could call it that!” 

“I did have a strange dream, though, yes. Still trying to shake it off.”

“One of those kinds where you woke up within the dream, so now you have to spend the rest of your morning trying to figure out if it’s just going to happen all over again.”

“Well, maybe more like the rest of the hour.”

“Beats the rest of the week.” 

“Where’d you wake up? Airport?”

“An excellent guess!”

“But no, I’m afraid not. It was somewhere more like the lab room.”

“ ‘Like’ it?”

“It seemed backwards, somehow. Though you’d think I’d have a harder time telling when the room was gutted of desks and valves and all those sorts of things.”

“Hm.” Guess you have a “sense” for those things during the dream.

“It was only me on some sort of cot, with some equipment around that I couldn’t make any sense of.”

“You couldn’t make sense of some equipment? Perish the thought.”

“Right?”

“Though I suppose I wasn’t feeling terribly well, and it’s a bit more difficult to observe in the dark.”

“And without glasses, but that wasn’t an issue anymore in the dream, either.”

Enthralling. I’m sure he’ll keep on with the story, anyway. Might as well stick around the dorm hall and wait for someone else to interrupt, unless I really want to spend my entire breakfast listening to this.

“And then what happened?”

“It gets hazier there.”

“Maybe I’ll run into something later that will trigger the memory. I’ll be sure to let you know!”

“Thanks.”

Just as he’s swearing he has more interesting dreams most of the time, a door swings open—silent, but far enough away for us to have fair warning. Not that there’s much we can do about it.

“Ah, the sinners have already arisen, I see.”

“Only a few of us so far!”

Not even correcting her, huh. Better to just move on, anyway.

“Any big breakfast plans?”

“Seeing as some lesser creatures have seen fit to leave this realm...”

“...not particularly.”

“...”

Yeah, no more lining up for Yuki’s omelettes, that’s for sure. Or dorayaki. If you’d eat that for breakfast for some reason.

Or if you’re someone who doesn’t need a reason to do things. I could name a few of those people here.

Tsunyasha tosses her boa-thing over her shoulder.

“Well! I see no need to tarry here with you lot.”

“Not even to tell us how superior you are?”

This time, Aidan actually elbows me.

“Ow.” 

"Surely you don’t need a reminder of that. Are you fools truly so quick to forget?”

She clicks her tongue, as if telling us not to bother answering.

“I’ve no need to humor sinners. Share your pathetic regrets among yourselves, worms.”

She strides past with an extra little oomph, to put us in our place or something. Doesn’t quite give the full effect when she has to wrangle with the bedsheet-movie screen to actually leave the dorm. She curses something about silver and lime and finally pushes her way out.

“...”

I sigh and turn back to Aidan.

“You in a big rush to go after her?”

“.......”

“...”

“...........”

“Aidan?”

I wave a hand in front of his face, but his eyes don’t track it.

Do I... need to take him to the Nurse’s Office?

For all the good that is without a nurse. Were there first aid guides in there? Or would I need to stop by the library? Itsurou’s study hall, even? That would be a good bet if it’s something... potentially lethal.

Or something else! There are plenty of not-dying things you have to research for stories, right? 

But before I can get too caught up wishing we at least had a librarian, if not a nurse, Aidan stirs again.

“...Kakumi?”

“That’s me. You okay?”

He slowly adjusts his glasses frames, lets out a breath, and nods.

“Still waking up, it seems.”

“You didn’t get drugged again, did you?”

“Golly, I hope not.”

“It doesn’t feel the same, I’d say. I’m just...”

“...”

“Tired?”

“...A little bit.”

Yet you’ve been out here arranging whole movie nights instead of resting. Uh-huh.

Sidestepping the pile of half-hung sheet, I move to the doors.

“You in the mood for eggs? I’ve been thinking of trying something different, and I could use a second opinion.”

“...”

It’s less like he’s zoning into the stratosphere this time and more like he just sees straight through me.

“Sure, I’ll give it a shot. Though I will warn you, I usually don’t do anything more adventurous than ketchup or hot sauce myself, so I may not have the most advanced palate for the judgment of egg dishes.”

“Fine by me. I’m not the most advanced chef of egg dishes, either.”

Okay, successfully strong-armed him into not making his own breakfast, at least. It’s not much, but that’s probably half the reason he agreed. Small gestures are still better than nothing.

Now let’s hope I don’t drop enough eggshells in his dish to make him change his mind.

[BACK] [NEXT]

[nancypullen]

Spring has Sprung

There's color everywhere! Trees have unfurled new leaves, tulips and daffodils made a spectacle of themselves, and now the next wave of color is arriving. My clematis has offered up a beautiful first bloom and the vines are full of buds.

The irises are putting on a glorious show too.

I've been pulling things out of my little greenhouse and giving them pep talks before putting them in the ground. That's right, I'm breaking the don't-plant-before-Mother's-Day rule. I looked at our long term forecast and I think I'm safe. I have two tomato plants in the ground, but kept two in the greenhouse just in case. I've still got cukes and a few other things in there staying toasty. I put the Mammoth sunflowers under the kitchen window which might have been a mistake. If they do well they might block the window. Oops. I transplanted the Speedwell too, and I have high hopes - it looks great! Zinnia seed has been sprinkled, the Zepherine Drouhin climbing rose (thornless!) has a new trellis, and yesterday I hauled home eight big bags of soil...

and created a new bed back by the fence and tree line. That will be the new home for these precious babies!

A few weeks ago I sprinkled seeds in a tray full of soil, stuck it in the greenhouse and, boy howdy, I've got a bumper crop! Crossing my fingers that they do well now that they're out of the greenhouse and in the dirt. I scattered Cosmos seed in that bed as well, we'll see what happens. If I end up with a strip filled with Bachelor Buttons and Cosmos I'll be a happy camper.

I've got a lot of blue and purple going on because bees love them and I am trying to make this place a pollinator paradise. Adding lots of pinks and whites will break it up a bit, and of course the zinnias are always just a riot of color. I won't be on the cover of Southern Living, but it'll be cheerful. Bored yet? I could talk all day long about dirt and flowers. Not everyone's cup of tea, of course. Let's move on.

With soup season at an end all of the comfort food from the colder months is unappealing now. Well, it is to me, and I'm the cook around here. I'm craving brighter, zingier flavors. Last week I made these Honey Sriracha Salmon Bowls, loosely based on a recipe I saw and made with what I had on hand. Rave reviews from the mister. It was quick to make, which is a bonus. I marinated the salmon for about an hour and did a quick white wine vinegar and sugar pickling of those cucumber strips. They were just what the dish needed. The combo was delicious.

I also made this yummy Lemon Basil Chicken Thighs w/CousCous dish - again, I was kind of winging it from a Bab's recipe, using what I had. Mickey loved it!

It was loaded with flavor and finishing it with a squeeze of lemon created magic. It's all cooked in a single dish so it's pretty quick and easy. Mickey ate the leftovers tonight before attending his photo club meeting. Winner! Other than gardening and cooking I have filled my soul with the joy of cleaning....said NO ONE EVER. I do the chores that have to be done, then I fill my days with nonsense. Recently I've been playing with the Google AI image generator - you know, you describe what you want and it creates the picture. If I type, create a picture of a cupcake with pink frosting and white sprinkles with a candle in the middle, it gives me this.

You could get much more specific and say that you want the cupcake sitting on a desk in a library...

you could even add a mouse.

You get the idea - you're only limited by your imagination. You can tweak it as much as you like. I could add eyeglasses to the mouse, or request that the library have cobwebs and a ghost. So what do you suppose I experimented with while getting to know the tool? CATS, of course!!

That's Peggy. She's up before dawn every day to get those biscuits made. She's a hardworking single mother of 36 (last count).

This one was inspired by our orange girl, Molly. She knows exactly when dinnertime is and starts complaining a full 30 minutes before, as if she's dying. Molly is a stout girl and will eat her dinner and yours too if you're not looking, but she puts on a pitiful act just before mealtime.

For someone like me, this tool will provide endless amusement. No doubt it's meant for more meaningful work, but there are no credentials requested or IQ test required before using it, so it's fair game for knuckleheads. I mean, who's gonna' stop me? Not this guy.

I should probably wrap this up before it gets weird. We're chugging along, embracing spring and all of the yard chores that help make our patch pretty. The mister built me a wonderful raised bed, so I'm hoping to get a bountiful harvest from that. He's going to put up a barrier this week, just a little flexible fencing - I've spotted a groundhog next door and I don't trust him. Crossing my fingers that Mickey gets there first. Our only other task is picking a fall vacation spot. Mickey was lobbying for a return trip to Ireland. I'd love to go back, it was enchanting. However, with things the way they are, the dollar weakening by the day, markets crashing, doom and gloom... I made the push to stay stateside this year. I think he's in agreement, but we need to narrow it down. We may end up just doing a repeat Maine trip. We've done it so many times, we know our favorite spots, I could squeeze in a day in Salem, and it's really glorious in autumn. For the price of one round trip to Dublin we could get two round trips to Portland and a week of rental car - the cheapskate in me loves that. If we book now we can lock in an inexpensive Air BnB. I also floated the idea of a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. Flights were affordable, lodging was very inexpensive, and it's a beautiful, safe spot that has always intrigued me. There's a huge ex-pat community there and I'd love to pick their brains. Besides, the end of October provides some fabulous Dios de la Muertos festivals. I'd love to see that! All things considered the odds are good that we'll be tooling around in Maine. That's it, I'm outta' here. Sending out love and hope tonight, I think we all need it. Planting a garden is an act of hope. Planning a trip is an act of hope. The bad actors in this country want to snuff our hope, they want us swimming in despair and unable to function. They've made a terrible error by underestimating us, don't you think? ""The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We're going to help bend it. Keep up the heat, don't be quiet, get out there and make some good trouble. March if you like, write letters and postcards, just don't give up. I almost made it through a whole blog post without getting political. Not even a little bit sorry. Love and hope, babies. LOVE and HOPE. Stay safe, stay well. XOXO, Nancy

[tameblog]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[ramestoryworld]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[alexha2210]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[angusstory]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[tumibaba]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[romaleen]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[monaleen101]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[iamownerofme]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link

[shelyold]

By: Shelly Posted: Nov 10, 2024 This Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy Olive Garden copycat! It’s a quick one-pot soup recipe brimming with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, beans, garlic, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Serve it with hunks of crusty bread for sopping up all the Tuscan flavors! Craving more cozy soups? Try my one-pot recipes like this chicken gnocchi soup, lasagna soup, and my easy lemon chicken orzo soup. Why I Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Zuppa Toscana wraps up all the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside into a bowl of cozy, creamy soup! This is my homemade take on Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan kale soup. It’s a rich and comforting recipe brimming with juicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes and veggies, garlic, beans, and kale. Here’s why I love making it at home: Tuscan flavors. I love Italian-inspired dinners like my creamy Tuscan chicken, and this Tuscan kale soup is perfect for the wintertime. It’s packed with filling ingredients, with the option to add a splash of heavy cream. Like the Olive Garden (only better). I no longer need to get my fix for Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden. This homemade version is quick, easy, and, dare I say it, even more delicious than a restaurant! One pot. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served from one pot. It makes cleaning up a breeze, plus it builds up all those savory flavors. Soup Ingredients There’s nothing but goodness in this Zuppa Toscana! No mystery ingredients, nada. I’ve included some ingredient notes and substitution ideas here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the recipe measurements. Bacon – I like to use thick-cut bacon or pancetta. Regular bacon works, too, if that’s what you have. Italian Sausage – Buy the sweet Italian sausage that comes in casings, and remove the casings before breaking up the sausage into large chunks. You can also buy a package of sweet or spicy ground Italian sausage. Vegetables – Sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced white or yellow onion. Garlic – Freshly minced. I like a garlicky soup, but you can adapt the number of cloves to taste.  Potatoes – You’ll want to use waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes or red potatoes for soup. Starchier varieties, like russets, tend to break apart. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Beans – These can be kidney beans or other white beans, like cannellini beans or butter beans. Rinse and drain any canned beans before you add them to the soup. Chicken Stock – I’ll use my homemade chicken stock when I have it on hand, otherwise, store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer. Kale – I love to make Zuppa Toscana with Tuscan kale, also called Lacinato, when it’s in season. That being said, just any type of kale works in this soup (curly, Russian red, baby kale, etc.).  Heavy Cream – Optional, but I love recreating the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana with a splash of heavy cream. Another option is to use cream cheese for a richer soup. How to Make Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Kale Soup) I love making this one-pot soup on a weekend afternoon, and I’ll save any leftovers to reheat throughout the week. It’s very easy to make on the stovetop following the step-by-step below. Refer to the recipe card for printable instructions. Cook the bacon. Brown the sausage. Cook the bacon and sausage. Get the bacon sizzling in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once that’s browned, move it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, brown the sausage in the same pot, and move that to a plate, too. Sauté the veggies. Combine and simmer. Sauté the veggies. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the veggies are softened, and stir in the garlic. Combine and cook. Add the potatoes, beans, and stock, and return the sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale. Add bacon and cream, and enjoy! Add the greens. Add the chopped kale leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes, then take the soup off the heat. Make it creamy. Last but not least, stir in the bacon and heavy cream, and you’re ready to serve! Recipe Tips Drain any excess grease. If you find that there’s a lot of grease left over in the pot after browning the bacon and sausage, feel free to drain some of it off before cooking the veggies. Add the cream off the heat. If you’re finishing off your soup with heavy cream, make sure to take the pot off the heat before you add it. If the soup is too hot, the cream will curdle and split. For the same reason, I don’t recommend substituting milk for heavy cream as it’s more likely to split in the heat. Add more flavor. This Tuscan kale soup packs loads of flavor as it is, but if you’d like to amp things up further, go ahead and add sun-dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs (like basil and parsley), or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make it spicy. Use hot Italian sausage and/or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes. Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and sausage or substitute the meat with more beans, potatoes, or veggies. You can also bulk it up with rice or noodles, or check out my vegetarian white bean soup. Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup Refrigerate. Keep any leftover Tuscan kale soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last for up to 4 days. Reheat. Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through. Freeze. You can freeze this Zuppa Toscana, though when possible, it’s best to freeze it without adding the heavy cream. Store the soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge. You can add a little heavy cream after reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This rich, creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe is an easy one-pot soup packed with fresh ingredients like Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, beans, and kale. Like the Olive Garden, only better! 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1 ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed and broken apart into 1-inch chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery sticks, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium waxy potatoes, cubed 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (optional) 8 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth 3 cups chopped Tuscan kale, packed ½ cup heavy cream, optional Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside to drain. Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and season with sea salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the potatoes, beans (if using), chicken stock, and cooked sausage. Make sure you have rinsed and drained the canned beans before adding them to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kale and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon and the heavy cream (if using). Serve! This soup is perfect with a crusty slice of bread. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link