Zuppa Toscana Slow Cooker Soup

My neighbor was kind enough to send me this recipe recently and we have been addicted to it ever since.  This is a knock off version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup, which happens to be my husbands absolute favorite soup.  He will always choose this soup over their salad, and usually will have eaten a few bowls of it by the time our main courses arrive.  So when she sent me this, he was delighted.  What surprised me though, was the fact that my kids loved it too.  I haven't cooked a lot with kale, so I thought they may not like it, but I was wrong.  My husband said I could make this every day and he would be okay with it.  Serve it up with breadsticks or crusty french bread and your family will love you. 

Zuppa Toscana Slow Cooker Soup

recipe adapted from 12Tomatoes

You will need:

-1 pound Italian sausage (casing removed)

-3 russet potatoes, sliced into wedges

(I've used russet, golden, and baking potatoes...they all work.  Just slice them in uniform size so they'll cook evenly)

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-half a large white onion, finely chopped

-4 cups chicken broth

-2 cups kale or swiss chard, rinsed and chopped (I use kale)

-1 1/2 cups heavy cream

-1 tsp garlic powder

-generous sprinkling of salt and pepper

*brown and crumble Italian sausage in a large skillet over med-high heat until no longer pink

   (drain and discard fat)

*combine all ingredients EXCEPT cream and kale in slow cooker

*cook on low 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours

*add cream and kale to slow cooker, stir and cook until kale leaves are wilted and warmed through, about 20-30 minutes