OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT ZUPPA TOSCANA🌿

1. Begin by cutting your bacon strips into small pieces using kitchen scissors and frying them in the bottom of a large kettle pot over medium high heat. Once crispy, remove from pot and set on paper towel to dry. 
2. In the same pot, add Italian sausage, remove casings if needed, and brown. Remove from pot and set aside once fully cooked through. Strain excess fat if needed, but leaving some and whatever sausage bits are stuck to the bottom to sauté onion and garlic in. Cook in pot over medium high heat for about 5-7 mins, until onion is tender. 
3. Return cooked sausage & bacon to pot with the now sautéed onion. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour and stir until coated. Add chicken broth and thinly sliced potatoes to pot and allow to simmer for about 5-7 mins until potatoes are fork tender. 
4. Prepare your kale by washing, drying, removing the spine and chopping into bite size pieces. Set heat from medium high to medium low — add 1 cup of heavy cream, Parmesan, red pepper flakes and chopped fresh kale to pot. Add salt & pepper to taste (I add about 1.5 tsp salt & 2.5 tsp pepper). Allow all added ingredients to cook in pot for approximately 3 mins before serving. Enjoy hot with a nice piece of crusty bread!