Zuppa Toscana Soup

Serves: 4
Prep. Time: 0:35

1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
4 slices smoked bacon - chopped
1/2 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 lg. russet potatoes – peeled and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1/2 med. onion - peeled, chopped
1 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper - to taste

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
-Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
-Add sausage to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
-Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Serve with bacon crumbled on top.

Easy Peasy French Bread....

I adapted this recipe from this website...http://howmomdidit.com/2010/11/easy-french-bread/

The recipe is very easy and YUMMY!

1 packet of dry active yeast
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp shortening
4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp salt (less if you don't like salty bread)

In a large bowl, add 1 packet of yeast to 1 1/2 cups rather warm water

Add 1 tablespoon sugar

Add 1 tablespoon shortening and gently stir. (Don’t worry about the shortening getting mixed up. It will melt a little bit and then when you do the next part, it will get mixed up with the ingredients.)

Let the mixture rest for a few minutes until the yeast starts to grow.

Add 4 cups of flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. stir in well with a big spoon. Cover.

Set your time for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes is over, stir the mixture down with the spoon again. Do this 5 times in all. (10 minutes… stir…)

Divide the dough in half and let sit for ten minutes on the counter. (Lightly, of course, so the dough won’t stick to the counter.)

Roll out and roll up like a jelly roll.

Put the loaves on a greased cookie sheet and score with a knife.

Let raise for 1 1/2 hours, covered.

Bake at 350 degrees  until light brown on the top and oh, so yummy looking. (It took me 20 minutes today.)

Thump it with your finger and it it sounds hollow, it is done. Brush the top with butter.