Endless Soup

Are you like me and occasionally go to the O Garden restaurant for the
endless soup, salad and bread sticks?
For me there is no other consideration on soup choice but the
Zuppa Toscana.
Oh I will agree the other soups are more than fine . . . but,
I never eat the others since I went over to the Tuscana side.
I've tried a recipe that was close to the restaurants soup but not quite IT. . .
but now I have this to share.

And for a first I went and bought kale (please don't substitute spinach as it just doesn't have the body and won't hold up).

Yesterday I had Trevlyn over for an endless soup lunch.
And I didn't keep count on the number of bowls we had.

As good and yummy as this soup is, it can't compare to having a daughter home for lunch.

I so appreciate daughter love. Thanks sweet girl.

This is rather lengthy but I decided to share it with you just as I got it online.

I've shown you my changes in bold italics.

O* Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

By Karen Anne Newton RN on December 27, 2007 – 5 stars

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Servings: 12

About This Recipe"This is The Olive Garden's recipe, from their cookbook. It has been cut down to make a more reasonable size. I have made this for several years, and everyone who has tasted it, loves it. It is a hearty meal in itself, or it can be served with salad and bread. This is especially good on a cold winter night ! ***I have edited the cooking order to make the preparation time shorter.***"

Ingredients

• 10 cups water
• 7 chicken bouillon cubes (not granules)
• 1 teaspoon salt (I recommend scant teaspoon)
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1 1/4 t.)
  
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and sliced (or cubed. About 3 very large)
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild)
  
• 1 large white onions, diced
• 1 bunch fresh kale, torn in small pieces ( or 16 oz. bag of prewashed and cut Kale. Discard stems)
• 1 cup heavy cream ( I used half and half)
• 6 tablespoons oscar meyer bacon bits ( I fried about 4-6 slices bacon)
  

Directions

1. In a large stockpot, put water, bouillon, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and potatoes. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet, until the sausage is brown, then add it to the stockpot, along with the Kale. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until Kale and potatoes are tender.
3. Add the cream and bacon bits, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Notes:.
5. I use 10 medium size potatoes.
6. Half and Half can be substituted for the heavy cream if desired.
7. Kale can be found in the produce department of most grocery stores.

Serving Size: 1 (311 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Calories 253.8

Calories from Fat 172

67%

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Total Fat 19.1g

29%

Saturated Fat 8.6g

43%

Cholesterol 51.8mg

17%

Sugars 1.6 g

Sodium 1283.1mg

53%

Total Carbohydrate 10.6g

3%

Dietary Fiber 1.1g

4%

Sugars 1.6 g

6%

Protein 9.9g

19%

© 2012 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. http://www.food.com/274110

Camp Grammy 2011 - Let's Wrap This Up...Finally.

Camp and the fabulous grands are over/gone. I'm left with fantastic love, memories, photos and

this very slow, frustrating computer.

The darling parents and little sister P (along with one of their nieces) arrived. We were all very excited to see them. All the more people with which to have fun!

Watching July 3rd, yes, 3rd fireworks in the neighbors yard.

Still lots and lots and lots of swimming only now there were plenty of life guards on duty. The kids love the "action" shots.

Niece C in all her 4th fun.

Tessa in her Camp shirt. She's still wearing it ALL the time. Makes me so happy.

Backyard sparklers before we left for firework display.

Watching the Peoria Sports Complex "works" from the hood of the car. Not quite the grassy, cool evening I think most of you experience on your 4th. I commented that I just might decorate with all the red, white and blue in November when it is cool. Hey, I'll even grill those ribs too.

Here are the die-hards that went for the sparkling experience...of course I'm behind the camera.

Grammy could not pass up the glow in the dark halos.

This photo does not do justice to the Andy-Against-Everyone water fight. It was so fun and that Andy held his own.

Little grand P found her special bag awaiting her and a Camp Grammy water bottle too. Look at that smile on O in the background. Oh I miss those smiles.

You have no doubt seen the national news reports on Arizona's haboob - mile high, 2 mile wide dust storm. We got hit at our house but not has hard as the east valley. Notice the finger wipe on the patio table.

Pool in process of being cleaned.

The top of the portable fire pit.

Plastic patio chair.

One of the patio tables and this one was undercover of the patio so was a little more protected.

New Subject:

Thank you Julie Harward!

I made her cinnamon roll cake recipe; she has outrageous recipes at her blog.

Here it is just out of the oven before the glaze went one.

I polled the AZ grands and got 4 double thumbs up for this recipe.

It's a new week. Sunday fortified me. I so appreciate the Sabbath.

I so appreciate you. Wishing you a . . .

Happy day, msk

Luau and Dinner Rolls

Tonight is Relief Society and it's our ward's annual Mother/Daughter night. Each one is more fun than the last. Last year was a "Night in Paris" and Dori, Trevlyn and Tessa attended with me. Tonight is a luau. Trevlyn and Tessa will be my darling guests. Wouldn't it be fun to have all my gals and grandgals with me!!!! Maybe that's a dream that will come true someday.

I've volunteered to make homemade dinner rolls for tonight's dinner. Here is the recipe I'm using that I got from sweet friend Audra. You may want to try it, recommended, just be prepared for it makes a very large batch! The recipe came straight from Audra with her notes included - I just added (or butter) - you know me ;)

The Spicery’s Rolls - a restaurant in downtown Glendale, Arizona

1 1/2 c. boiling water

1/2 c. margarine (or butter)

1 1/2 t. salt

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. additional water (not boiling)

6 oz. evaporated milk (small can)

1/4 c. yeast (that is correct)

9 1/8 cups flour

In a large bowl, pour boiling water over margarine. Add salt and sugar and stir well. When margarine is melted, mix in additional water. Stir in evaporated milk and yeast. Let bubble. Slowly add flour. Turn out on a floured board and knead about 10 minutes. Next, grease a large bowl thoroughly, put the dough in it and turn it over so the surface will be greased. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, punching down twice, about 1 hour. Form into dinner rolls, let rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 375* 20 minutes before baking. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes 36 rolls. (These rolls are HUGE! I made these for preschool, but didn't have time for them to "double in size". They were still good. Very sweet compared to my dinner rolls.)

msk notes: after forming into rolls place in buttered pans, cover with tea towels to rise in warm location.

Happy day, msk

I'm sharing a Christmas image with you as I hope to be busy in the kitchen today.

I just posted one of our family Christmas cookies at Knights In The Kitchen, Mexican Wedding Cakes. It's not a very unusual cookie but one of my favorites.

Do you have plenty of BUTTER on hand for your baking?

Happy day, msk