Ritual of Rest #7 - Simple, Cozy Soup Recipe

Because Food is Sometimes a Sweet (& Savory) Gateway to Rest

Photo by Federico Di Dio photography on Unsplash

As we step deeper into fall November days (already!), and the shorter days of daylight savings, here’s a recipe that beckons a slower pace and is delightfully easy to make.

I enjoyed cooking it last night, and as my oldest daughter burst through the back door from soccer practice, before even making her way into the kitchen, she jumped up and down in her grassy cleats with a huge grin on her face shouting over and over, “Are we having it?! Is this my favorite soup?!”

She knew it was a “yes” by the zesty, savory fragrance permeating our home, and she skipped right over to the big dutch oven warmed on the stove to “taste test” one of her favorite dinners.

Meals have their way of being an absolute anchor in our homes. It’s a time where so many rituals take root and imprint deeply. The following quote from Bread and Wine, speaks so well to this—and around the table (especially with a bowl of flavorful, warm soup), is a beautiful place to slow down and let go just a bit more.

"The most sacred moments in life, the ones in which I feel God's presence most profoundly, when I feel the goodness of the world most arrestingly, take place at the table…

Around the table, around food prepared (with giving hands), we enter the joy and the sorrow of the people we love, and we join together to feed one another and to be fed, and while it's not strictly about food, it doesn't happen without it. The impulse to feed is innate. Food is a language of care, the thing we do when traditional language fails us, when we don't know what to say, when there are no words to say. And food is what we offer in celebration - at weddings, and anniversaries, and happy events of every kind. It's the thing that connects us, that bears our traditions, our sense of home and family, our deepest memories, and, on a practical level, our ability to live and breathe each day. Food matters."

-Shauna Niequist, from Bread and Wine

Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

I am a semi-newcomer to the making of Zuppa Toscana (a soup that Olive Garden made famous, if my understanding is correct). But now that I've tasted its goodness, it will never leave my winter recipe repertoire. It's cozy. It's comfort. I've tailored this recipe to suit our tastebuds and the Zesty Italian Sausage takes it next level. The smooth finish with a swirl of cream is where the comfort settles in and transports you to another world with every bite. 

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. Zesty Italian Sausage

* 4 cloves minced garlic (or 4 tsp minced garlic from jar)

* 1 yellow onion, diced

* 1-2 cups diced white potatoes (I typically use baby or Yukon God potatoes)

* 6 cups chicken broth

* 2.5 cups chopped kale

* 1 cup heavy whipping cream

* 1/2 tsp salt (add more to taste as needed)

* Cooked bacon (optional for a topping)

* Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cook Italian Sausage until crumbled and cooked through in a separate pan. Drain fat if desired.

2. Add a little sprinkle of olive oil to the bottom of a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add diced onions and saute for 4-5 min, sitring as needed. Then add garlic and saute for 1 min. 

3. Add chicken broth, cooked sausage, and diced potatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 min. Stir in salt, heavy cream and kale and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Add more salt to taste as needed.

4. Enjoy a cozy bowl of comforting soup! Top with crumpled bacon if desired for even more flavor.