Olive Garden Soup

This week I went to a ward freezer group and brought home soooo many goodies. If you don't know what a freezer group is, I'll explain. Basically, you cook one dish, big enough for your group (in my case, four newly-wed couples). Bring it with the recipe and swap with four other girls. You walk in with four "servings" of one entree, and walk out with four different "servings" all for free! (I hope that makes sense)

Here was my recipe:
disclaimer: I recently modified the recipe so I apologize if it's a big vague. It's easy to get creative with soup, in fact it's hard NOT TO.

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Sausage and Potato Soup)
lots of Italian sausage (lets say two pounds? I shoulda read the package I bought)
3 potatoes, diced
1 diced yellow onion
1/2 package bacon (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced (next time I will try four)
1 head of kale (this is very curly lettuce looking stuff. It doesn't cost much so don't be afraid. plus it's full of calcium!)
1 1/2 T boullion
18 Cups of water (yup, you'll need a big soup pot for this)
1/2 pint of cream
2 Cups chopped mushrooms (ok that's just a guess, I just used a whole package)
1 T salt

Start by browning the sausage. I don't like to saute or brown anything in my soup pot, less grease that way but more dishes. In a different pan saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms til soft. Slide into pot of water. Use same pan to saute each diced potato, one at a time (optional. I liked them browned). Wash kale, remove stems with a knife and cut into bite size pieces. Add to pot. Add salt and boullion as well as bacon. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low until potatoes are soft and kale has turn a dark green. Add cream and serve.

Update: according one girl in my freezer group, this didn't work so well frozen! Apparently it separated! Sorry ladies!