Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. spicy Italian Sausage – crumbled
(3) 14.5 oz. cans (about 6 cups) Chicken Stock or Broth
3 lg. Russet Potatoes – scrubbed clean, sliced with the skin on
2 Garlic Cloves – peeled, crushed or pressed
1 med. White Onion – peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped Kale or Swiss Chard
1 cup heavy Whipping Cream
salt and pepper – to taste

     In a frying pan, brown sausage over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. Drain and rinse sausage. Set to the side.
     Meanwhile, in a large pot, place chicken broth, garlic, potatoes, and onion. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
     Add sausage and simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream, simmer (do not boil) until Kale wilts. Heat thoroughly. Serve with your favorite bread.
    
Notes:
1.  If you are looking for a milder flavor, use Mild Italian Sausage and add crushed red pepper flakes to your taste.
2.  In the case that you don't have chicken broth or stock, you may substitute 6 qts water and chicken bouillion. This of course, is not preferred.
3. For the Kale, I always cut out the center stem. I like the Kale in large, approx. 2" square, chunks. You decide.
4.  If using a crock pot for preparation, add all ingredients to the crockpot except the cream and kale. Add them just before serving.

Taco Soup

1 lb Hamburger
1/2 onion chopped
3 cups water
6 cups canned tomatos (I use some crushed and some diced)
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans black beans
1 can corn
2 cans campbells tomato soup
2 packets taco seasoning

Brown hamburger and onion in large soup pot. Add water, tomatos, beans, corn and taco seasoning. Stir in tomato soup. Simmer. Will thicken over time. Top with toppings of choice and ENJOY! Such a yummy, warm soup on a cold winters night! (This makes a BIG pot of soup. I plan to freeze some, otherwise cut the recipe by half!)

Toppings:

Frito chips
Sour cream
Grated cheese
Green onions

Chicken Soup with Homemade Noodles and Dumplings

2 1/2 to 3-lb frying chicken, cut up
10 cups water
2 chicken-flavor bouillon cubes or 2 tsp instant chicken bouillon
1.2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 recipe Noodles (to follow) or 2 cups wide egg noodles

In 5-quart Dutch oven, combine chicken and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Add bouillon cubes, 1/2 cup onion, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer covered an additional 35 to 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth. Remove chicken from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Skim fat from broth. Return chicken to broth. Stir in celery, carrots and 1/4 cup onion. bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until carrots are crisp tender. Remove bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Drop noodles into boiling soup. After soup returns to a boil, cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stiring occasionally.
Makes 7 (1 1/2 cup) servings.

Noodles
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 egg, beaten

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. IN small bowl, combine flour and salt; blend well. Make a well in center; add water, oil and egg. Gradually work flour into liquid to form dough. On floured surface, knead until dough is smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic bag; let rest at room temperature 1 hour.
On floured surface, roll dough out as thin as possible into rectangle. Starting at shortest side, soosly fold dough over into thirds. Cut into 1/4 inch slices. Unfold slices; cut on fold liines. drop noodles into boiling soup.* After soup returns to a boil, cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. 3 cups.
*TIP: Noodles can be cooked in boiling salted water. Bring 10 cups water and 2 tsp salt to a boil. Drop noodles into boiling water; after water returns to a boil cook uncovered 5 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Drain. Use as desired in soups, with goulashes, sauces or buttered as a side dish.

Fluffy Dumplings
1 1/2 cups all purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; blend well. Add milk, oi and egg; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dumpling dough by rounded tablespoonsfuls onto boiling soup mixture. Reduce heat; cover tightly and cook 13-16 minutes or until dumplings are fluffy and no longer doughy on bottom. 12 dumplings.
TIP: For parsley-sage dumplings, add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and 1/2 teaspoon finely crushed sage leaves to flour.
For chive-basil dumplings, add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives and 1/2 teaspoon crushed basil leaves to flour.

Soup Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1 1/2 cup
Calories: 190
Protein: 23g
Carbohydrate: 18g
Fat: 3g
Sodium: 860mg
Potassium: 420mg

Noodles Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1/3 cup
Calories: 60
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 10g
Fat: 1g
Sodium: 65mg
Potassium: 20mg

Dumplings Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1 dumpling
Calories: 90
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrate: 13g
Fat: 3g
Sodium: 155mg
Potassium: 40mg

Hamburger Barley Vegetable Soup

1 1/2 lbs. ground Beef
6 cups Beef Broth
2 cups sliced Carrots
1 1/2 cups coarsley chopped Onions
1 1/2 cup coarsley chopped Celery
1 cup fresh Green Beans, cut into 2" pieces
2 potatoes, diced
1/3 cup Pearl Barley
1 tsp Salt (optional)
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 clove Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
28-oz. can (3 cups) Tomatoes, undrained, cut up
8-oz. can Tomato Sauce

In 5-quart Dutch oven, brown ground beef: drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: cover and simmer 1 hour or until vegetables and barley are tender. Remove bay leaf.
10 (1 1/2 cup) servings. Mmmm this is so yummy!

Nutrition Information per serving.
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Calories: 220
Protein: 15g
Carbohydrate: 18g
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 885mg
Potassium: 735mg