Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana by Cera Edgley
Yummy, yummy Olive Garden tasting soup!

3-4 large Russet Potatoes
1 lb or less Italian Sausage (mild or spicy depending on how you like it!)
5-8 slices bacon, depending on thickness, quality and preference
Kale- however much seems good to you!
A dash or two of Fennel (optional. I didn't use it cause I didn't have it...I guess its usually in the sausage too)
1 cup or so heavy cream
Several cups Chicken stock (I used 2- 14.5 oz cans)
1 onion
1-2 cloves garlic
Salt and Pepper

1. Chop up potatoes (Thin slices like they do at the restaurant). Leave the skins on. Cover with chicken stock and some water if needed and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, brown the Italian sausage along with a clove or two of crushed garlic.
3. In another separate skillet, cook bacon until crispy, then chop into little pieces.
4. Whenever either bacon or sausage is done, use skillet and grease to sautee onions.
5. Whenever sausage, bacon and/or onions are done, go ahead and put them in w/ the potatoes anytime. Keep covered with water or stock.
6. Add a dash or two of fennel.
7. Add a cup or so of cream at some point (you can do this anywhere from the beginning to the end to made for more or less "chowdery" potatoes) *I put it in with the sausage and onions.
8. Add chopped kale when you have about 5 minutes of cook time left. Also add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Its done whenever the potatoes are soft cooked (about 15-20 minutes maybe). All ingredients are however much you like and can be adjusted.