One plus One = Two

The other day I got a magazine that had a lovely picture of a kale and pecan stuffing studded with Cajun sausage. Then it became cold here, and I wanted soup. Somehow that kale in the soup recipe met up with the kale that I remembered in the picture, and voila! A recipe idea was born.

Zuppa Toscana is the soup that Olive Garden churns out when you decide that all-you-can-eat is an okay way of spending lunch – I don’t care what you say, those breadsticks are legendary…and sometimes they’re my friends. They talk to me. Not really, but really.

Plus! In case you didn’t know….it’s THANKSGIVING TIME…ish! (Surprise!) and what a better time to churn out a thousandth recipe that you probably want to add to your table, and yet the thought of one more dish…is excrutiating. So! Being the nice internet buddy that I am…I’ve waited til Thanksgiving bloat has subsided (only a little) to gear you up for Christmas cooking! Kale is GREEN. And Christmas is green and red. (Speaking of red…Dear Santa, Louboutins? Please. I’ve not been fabulous this year, but I’ve done pretty good.)

I digress…

Zuppa Toscana Stuffing

1 pkg of Italian Bulk Sausage

3 cups of kale, chopped into 2 inch pieces, rough stems removed

1 french baguette, torn into small cubes

1 onion, chopped

4 T butter to sauté, 3 T to melt

2 cups heavy cream

5 large eggs

¾ c finely grated Parmesan cheese

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a cast iron skillet with butter and heat until melted. Add onion into pan and let sauté until translucent and soft. Add in bulk sausage and cook until browned. Add kale and garlic, cook an additional three minutes.

In a greased 10×13 dish, add torn white bread, broth and kale/sausage mixture.

Whisk together melted butter, heavy cream, eggs, and 3/4 cup Parmesan in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over kale, bread and sausage mixture. Cover loosely with parchment, then foil, and bake until golden brown and puffed, 55-60 minutes. Remove parchment and foil.

Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.