Zuppa Toscana

Adapted from an Olive Garden recipe, this soup is perfect served on a cold day with a hunk of warm bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb mild Italian sausage
• 1 medium diced onion
• Couple of cloves of garlic, diced
• Can of chicken stock
  
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
  
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1/4 bunch of kale, cut into pieces
• Red pepper flakes

Cook sausage until mostly cooked. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add chicken stock and potatoes, simmering until potatoes are soft. Pour in cream and add red pepper to taste.

Add kale just before serving.

Fall Football Macho Man Dip

I was a non-believer until I took it to the home of some friends for Thanksgiving... before I knew it, everyone had migrated to the table on which the dip sat. Score!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork breakfast sausage (I like Tennessee Pride)
  
• 1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (original recipe uses Rotel, though I prefer to spice my own)
• Green chiles, fresh or dried, to taste (can use red pepper flakes too)

Cook sausage in a skillet. If fatty, drain, then add cream cheese, tomatoes, and chile. Simmer until it thickens up.

Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping.