Zuppa Toscana Inspired Soup

I'm sharing with you one of my favorite soups of all time!  A creamy sausage soup that is absolutely delicious and a big family favorite at our house.  This soup tastes very similar, if not identical, to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup. We like this soup year round, served with a Caesar salad and fruit in the summer months or inside your favorite mug perched by a cozy fireplace in the winter.  I hope your family loves this soup as much as I do!

Ingredients 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 lb. Italian sausage 

2 large Russet baking potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4" slices.

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup bacon, crumbled

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups kale or swiss chard, chopped

2 cans chicken broth 

1 quart water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brown sausage and crumble. Drain and set aside.

Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, garlic in pot and cook on medicum heat until potatoes are done.

Add sausage and bacon.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Turn to low heat.

Add kale and cream.

Heat thouroughly and serve!

~ Delizioso! ~

Thanks for stopping by :) ~Julie

Friend

I was asked twice by a Twitter friend who lives in Turkey (How cool is that?!) to write more on my blog, and that got me thinking about friends.

The definition of friend is as follows:
1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.
2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.
3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.
4. One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement: friends of the clean air movement.

We see a friend can be anyone from a mere aquaintance to one who is more endearing; who supports and sympathizes with us.

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. ~ Danish Proverb

A hug is worth a thousand words. A friend is worth more. ~ Charles Caleb Colton

What does the Bible have to say about a friend? A couple of my favorite verses concerning a friend are as follows:

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ~ Proverbs 17:17

And yet . . . Yes, let's flip the coin over, so to speak.  None of us are perfect, right?  If we put all of our faith and trust in humans who will sooner or later let us down, we will likely crumble when they do let us down.  Whereas, God will never let us down!

Loving someone is risky only when you are dependent upon their love in return for your emotional well-being. ~ Lauren McEachran

Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion. ~ Micah 7:5

Friends will let us down from time to time, but remember, they are also born for adversity.  Adversities are difficulties and misfortunes!!  How wonderful to have friends stand beside us when we go through hardships and misfortunes. In fact, this reminds me of another Bible verse:

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ~ Galatians 6:2

So, a friend can help me carry my burden & vice versa!

~ Friends are a blessing & I am thankful for each and every one of mine ~

Thank you, Friend, for stopping by :)

If the shoe fits . . .

Today I was rummaging through a couple of bags of baby clothes in our guest room closet to find some dresses for my youngest, Anna, who is now six months old.  Violet, my second oldest, came to investigate like she usually does.  Violet's two favorite things are hats and shoes.  Faster than I could blink my eyes, she picked up a pair of glittery pink baby shoes, with glee, from the floor where I was sorting the clothes.  She then, of course, proceeds to try them on.  They were only five sizes too small, so they almost fit, right?  Wrong!  But, she had to try nevertheless! ~ This reminded me of the idiom, If the Shoe Fits, Wear It.  Meaning, if something applies to you, accept it.  With acceptance, comes understanding.  Proverbs 2:6 says, "For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." . . . If we do not accept that we need the Lord, we will not gain true understanding, knowledge or wisdom.