Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe (Copycat Olive Garden)

Now that the weather is changing (we had snow today), we are reverting back to Soup Sunday's at our house. Today I made a copycat recipe from Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.  So delicious and warms you from the inside out!

Spicy crumbled bacon with potato in rich creamy broth and spinach topped with bacon! YUM!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 pound spicy sausage (I use Jimmy Deans)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups organic chicken stock
• 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cups baby spinach or kale
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
2. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.
4. Stir in sausage and spinach until spinach begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with bacon.

Rustic Bread and Rich Creamy Artichoke Dip!

Rustic Bread grilled with olive oil and sea salt and topped with rich creamy artichoke dip! You'll be the hit of the holiday or the big game with this amazing rustic appetizer. You can even make it ahead the day before!

Rustic Bread Recipe:
1 teaspoon star active dry yeast
2 teaspoons of salt
3 cups of flour
1.5 cups of warm water

In a large bowl, whisk some flour, salt and yeast until well mixed. Pour in warm water (about 110 to 115 degrees F, or just slightly warmer than lukewarm) and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until it forms a wet, sticky and shaggy dough. That’s it! No kneading, no nothing. Just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for at least 8 hours (but no more than around 18 hours)

Preheat covered Dutch oven in 450 degree oven. With floured hands remove dough from bowl turn under into a ball.  I use parchment paper to line the cast iron and place my dough in for easy clean up.  Bake for 30 minutes with the top on, remove top for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on the counter.


Artichoke Dip:
1 cup of mayonaise
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 can of artichoke hearts
1 teaspoon of minced g

Chop artichoke hearts and mix with mayonnaise, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 min at 375 degrees.


To Serve:

Slice the bread and drizzle olive oil on it.  Place in a skillet on Medium heat and toast the bread, drizzling olive oil on each side.  When toasted sprinkle lightly with sea-salt.  Cut into wedges and serve with dip.

The bread and dip can be made the day before.  Mix the dip and place in the refrigerator and heat when its time for the party.  The bread can also be made the day before, then slice and grill just prior to serving.