Potato Sausage Soup

This soup was inspired by Olive Garden's Zuppa Tuscana Soup and is one of my favorite soups with a hearty bread. This recipe makes a large pot of soup, and this is great for leftovers. For small families or a couple, you could make half the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 pound sausage, bulk or casing removed (I like to use the sage sausage)
3/4 cup onions, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
10 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 3/4 tsp sage
1 Tbsp chopped dried parsley
1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning blend (or salt- more or less to taste)
1 tsp Italian blend herbs
1 cup carrots, sliced (optional)
6 large potatoes, cubed (may leave skins on if they are good)
4 large kale leaves, center rib removed and leaves cut in half again, then sliced (or you may use other greens, fresh or frozen such as chopped spinach, collard greens, escarole, etc.)
1/2 cup half and half or light cream or evaporated milk
3-4 hard-boiled eggs, diced (optional)
bacon for garnish (optional)
parmesan/romano cheese for garnish (optional)

Prepare hard boiled eggs, if desired. (Bring eggs in a pot with water covering them to a boil and then turn heat off and leave covered- Leave in water with lid on pot for 20 minutes. Drain water and run cold water over them. Continue changing water as necessary to keep cool, for 15-20 minutes or until cooled completely.) Saute the sausage, onion and garlic until onion is tender on medium/high heat in a 12 quart soup pot. Drain off extra grease, if necessary, and add the broth, celery, potatoes, carrots and seasonings. Cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked. Add the greens and cook for about 10 more minutes. Turn off heat; add milk/cream and eggs and stir well. Place soup in bowls and sprinkle with bacon and parmesan/romano cheese if desired.  Makes about 12-14   1 cup servings.  This makes excellent leftovers.