Jet Tila Quick Ramen

Jet Tila Quick Ramen with Coddled Eggs

Cup O Soup
2 Eggs (more or less depending on your hunger)
Additional ingredients you may want: leftover chicken, steak, green onion, etc.

Put your kettle on the stovetop to come to a boil. 

Pull the top of your ramen about half of the way off - you want to make sure to keep part of it in tact.

When the water comes up to a boil, pour the water in as you usually would do.

Add already cracked (raw) eggs into the ramen (this is also where you would add additional ingredients). 

Without breaking the yolks, use your chopsticks to push the noodles down so the egg will get down in there to coddle.

Put the lid back fully on the Cup O Soup and cover with a plate for 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, your noodles will be cooked and your eggs will be coddled!

Use your chopsticks to break the yolk and blend them into the soup.

This is freaking delicious. My girls LOVE to make this for a quick snack or double it for a dinner option.  

Farmer's Market Flatbread

I saw this idea on Our Best Bites. 

We go to Farmer's Market's on Saturday's and today we found delicious looking berries and brie!

FARMER'S MARKET FLATBREAD

I grabbed the flatbreads (pizza) from Trader Joes - and had everything else on hand. 

Flatbread – Trader Joe's - but any precooked flat bread will do (or naan for personal bites!)

Olive Oil

Apricot jam– you could definitely swap out the flavor of jam if you like. I like the very thin layer of sweetness under the cheese and apricot has a bit of a tartness to it, which I like. Other jams like strawberry, will be significantly sweeter, so just use a light hand if you go that direction.

Brie

Berries – I love a combo of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries but any one of these is great by itself.

Honey or hot honey– optional but delicious

Balsamic Glaze – find this ready made at the store in a squeeze bottle. If you can’t find any, you can boil down balsamic vinegar on the stove top until it’s reduced and thick and syrupy.

Fresh basil

Flakey Salt

Preheat a grill to medium low and set up for indirect heating.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the surface of your flatbread. You can place it directly on the grill grates, but you’ll want it on indirect heat, meaning it’s not sitting directly over flames (so we don’t burn the bottom - we used a cookie sheet to heat it up the first 2 minutes and then used parchment paper on the grates for the remainder of the cook.

Cook for about 2 minutes for the flatbread to get warm and start to crisp up.

Remove from grill and spread a light layer of apricot jam on the flatbread. Top with slices of brie and sprinkle on berries. You can really do this part to taste- a little or a lot! Pop it back on the grill to melt.

Take it off the grill and then drizzle with balsamic glaze, hot honey, fresh basil and a little sprinkle of flaky salt. Delicious and easy!!

Texas Toast Grilled Cheese

I saw this on Instagram and was immediately intrigued. It's not a recipe - but a couple quick tips really help on this one!

Texas Toast Grilled Cheese
Texas Toast - freezer section*
Butter
Tillamook cheddar cheese slices

*New York Bakery Texas Toast 5 cheese blend

Put your Texas Toast on a cookie sheet (lined with aluminum foil), top each toast with a slice of cheese and bake according to directions but only for about half the time suggested. This will get your bread thawed without cooking it too quickly.

After the toast has been thawed, put one slice of toast (with cheese on top) cheese side down on top of another piece of toast (cheese already on top) so the cheese sides are together. 

Put a pat of butter into your grilled cheese pan and cook as you normally would until the cheese is all melty and the toast is nice and crispy on the outside!

I made this as a quick weeknight dinner for the little girls (16 and 12) and I and it was a HIT!! 

Egg Roll In A Bowl

This is so fast and easy it's ridiculous. Dinner ready in 15 minutes - no joke. I usually serve it with wonton chips - but tonight we only had Chow Mein Noodles (the crunchy kind)

Egg Roll In A Bowl

1 lb ground beef or ground pork
1 tsp minced garlic
14 oz shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
1/4 c soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp sriracha
1 whole egg
1 T sesame oil
2 T sliced green onions

Wonton Strips or Chow Mein Noodles (crunchy)

In a large skillet, brown the pork or beef until no longer pink. Add the garlic and sautee for 30 seconds. Add the cabbage/coleslaw, soy sauce, ginger, and sautee until desired tenderness. You can add a little water if you need more liquid to sautee the coleslaw down.

Make a well in the center of the skillet and add the egg. Scramble until done over low heat.
Stir in sriracha. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with green onions. Add additional soy sauce and sriracha if desired.

*I always double this recipe - feeds 6 - never any leftovers!!

Ultimate Quick Ramen

Ultimate Quick Ramen

3 qt. stock pot

Ramen noodles

Add 1/8 c better than bouillon (chicken)
1/8 c miso paste
1 T ginger
1 T Gochujang
1 tsp worcestershire
1 T Hoisin sauce

diced green onions - whites and green parts

mint

cilantro

Pot stickers

Fried egg

Fill stock pot 3/4 of the way with water. Add bouillon, miso, ginger, gochujang, Worcestershire and hoisin. Bring to a boil. Whisk ingredients to make sure they are all incorporated. Add Ramen noodles and cook per package directions (3 minutes). 

Add additional toppings. Tonight we had potstickers, fried eggs, green onions, mint and cilantro. 

Six Cans Away!

This is a recipe I threw together as a "tester" for my too soon to be college Freshman. I wanted to make it in the crock pot I'm sending with him and I wanted to have his approval taste-wise before I committed. 

This recipe is perfect for when you are tired, hungry, poor - game night busy - all of the above! You can grab these 6 cans (plus taco seasoning) and have a delicious, filling meal in no time flat - or waiting for you when you come home... so I'm calling it Six Cans Away - bc you are literally 6 cans away from exactly what you need.

Six Cans Away!!!

1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15 oz can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 15 oz can sweet corn (drained)
1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 10 oz can green enchilada sauce
1 packet taco seasoning mix

Throw everything together and heat up on the stove top on Medium Low until warm (20 minutes).

OR

Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour all the ingredients into slow cooker and stir together.
Cook on low heat for 2 hours.

Serve as a SOUP by adding 14 oz can of chicken broth.
Serve as MACHO NACHOS with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.
Serve as a BURRITO in a flour tortilla.

AMP IT UP with an 8 oz block of Velveeta cheese melted in for the ultimate queso.

*Add left over chicken or ground beef to AMP it up

Italian Wedding Soup

I can't believe I've never posted this recipe! This is my sons ALL TIME FAVORITE soup.

It's also full of cheats - so it's SUPER FAST.

Italian Wedding Soup

Your favorite store bought mini meatballs (cooked per package directions)
2 T Olive Oil (evoo)
1 c minced yellow onion (frozen!)
1 c diced carrots (frozen!)
10 c chicken stock
1 box of Acini de Pepe pasta (or any small pasta will do!)
1/4 c minced fresh dill
12 oz spinach (fresh in the bag)

Heat the evoo over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery (if using) and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

So good - so filling - so satisfying!

*When I made it this time - I couldn't find mini meatballs - so I used regular sized - next time I have to use regular size - I will quarter them before adding to the soup.

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

I wanted to make soup for dinner - but I also knew that tonights dinner had to include chicken - bc that is what I had and what was quick.

A little searching and I found this! It was really good! The chiles and the adobo sauce really add a smoky depth of flavor without being spicy. The zip of the lime juice and the freshness of cilantro also added unusual and delicious notes. This is a GOODIE!!! The original recipe doesn't include beans - but I added them and I'm glad I did!

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup via Rachael Ray Magazine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 skinless, boneless chicken (rotisserie)
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
4 cans great northern beans, drained

8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper
1 haas avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces
Crushed tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

*One of my BIGGEST beliefs about soup is that after you follow your recipe and you are ready to serve - if you have the time to put it on a low simmer - it just gets better and better. I made this really quickly about an hour before running out the door for carpool. We ate it 3 hours later - seriously. so. good.

Serve with any or all of the following: cilantro, lime wedge, sour cream, avocado slices, tortilla chips.

French Dip Sandwiches

Another "non" recipe - but we've been doing this a lot lately with life getting back to busy.

Go to a really good deli (mine is our neighborhood Harmons) and buy roast beef (they should ask you how you would like it done - go with the most RAW version - trust me).

While you're at the deli - grab some Boar's Head Pub Style Horseradish - SO GOOD!

AND - get the BEST of the best deli rolls. My family loves the "Tuscan Brat Buns" but any good hogie style roll will do.

French Dips:
1 lb Roast Beef (feeds 6 of us)

6 Hogie rolls

Beef stock

Provolone cheese slices

Butter

Garlic powder, salt and pepper

Horseradish

Get a large pan with at least 1" lip on it. Heat up the beef stock - adding garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Slice by slice - put the roast beef into the stock to warm it up.

In the meantime, slice the rolls in half and butter both insides of the rolls. Put into a 400 degree oven until they are a little brown and crispy.

Pull the rolls out and top one side with the provolone cheese - then back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Pull them out again - and stack with the warmed roast beef. Serve with a side of the "au Jus" and the horseradish. 

*My husband. 15 yo and I just put the horseradish right on the bun - we love that stuff! Our 17 year old puts a bit in his jus and the little girls skip it all together.

Give it a try! Hearty, satisfying and ridiculously easy! Picture to come next time we have these!

Pickle Dip

Yup. Pickle Dip. We had an "appetizer party" the other night and I asked each of my kids what appetizer they would like me to make. My 15 year old son didn't skip a beat and answered Pickle Dip.

This is a recipe that Tyler brings over to our house - so I had to call him for the recipe. It's so simple - but seriously good!

Pickle Dip
8 oz. Cream cheese
1 c diced dill pickles
2 Tbsp pickle juice
1/4 c diced sweet onion (I used minced shallots as an easy swap)
1 tsp dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except pickles in mixer - then fold in the diced pickles to keep those nice chunky pieces. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Balsamic Dip

I've had this recipe FOREVER - I actually posted it on this blog over 10 years ago - but I recently made it when we had an "appetizer party" the other night. I forgot just how gosh darn good it is!!

This recipe I got from my friend JenO - she made it for every baby shower or bridal shower for years - always by request - always a winner.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Balsamic Dip
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small container crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
1/3 c Balsamic vinegar
1/3 c EVOO
Crush as much garlic as you think you can stand


Mix all ingredients and serve at room temperature. I try to refrigerate this for at least an hour before serving - just to give the flavors time to marry.

Right before serving, throw a couple of teaspoons of sugar to cut the acidity. Serve with bread chunks or crackers.

5-Ingred Lemon & Cheese Peas

I saw this on the Food Network's show The Kitchen. This is Sunny Anderson's recipe.

I'm getting antsy for Spring. It has been snowing for the last 2 days and I'm OVER IT! So - I'm going to will Spring up in this house!!! How am I going to do that? Two words. SPRING. PEAS. Because as I said - it's snowing here - I'm going to use frozen peas. They are frozen at the peak of freshness and are a great substitute when you don't have fresh. THE VERDICT: Mr V - out of town, Me - 100 loved it - strong flavors but liked it. Mr. 15 - meh - he's not a fan of cheese (seriously?!), Ms. 14 - YES! Ms. 11 and her friend - YES and YES. Ms. 7 had a "no thank you bite" and said "no thank you." I have to say - I'm not a fan of peas - but I try them every spring for good measure - and to encourage my kids to love their seasonal veg. This is my most favorite way to eat peas. In a pan on medium-low heat, add evoo (or butter), garlic and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, so the garlic and zest can steep without browning, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, thyme, pinch of salt and a little more pepper than you usually would. Stir a few times until thyme is darker and the pan is fragrant - about 5 minutes.

Add the peas and toss to warm and coat, about 4 minutes. Pour into a serving dish and top with cheese.

8 Tbsp evoo (extra virgin olive oil) or salted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, gently chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cups fresh spring, English or snow peas

8 to 12 ounces shaved or grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

Pics and rating to come tomorrow!!!

Thai Meatballs and Sweet Rice

An awesome "fast food - home cooked" meal.

I thought I was busy when I had 4 little kids. Now that I have 2 teenagers, a very mature pre-teen and a 7 year old - we are FREAKIN' BUSY!

Our oldest is involved year round in HS sports with swim team and track, the next 2 in line are in soccer year round and finally Ms. P is involved w soccer and dance. So - I have no control over my life whatsoever. I am SOOOOO looking forward to our oldest getting his license - but he isn't so motivated...

This is relevant bc I am always looking for short cuts and quick meals.

We make it a priority to have a sit down dinner every night as a family. More often than not - it happens and I'm so grateful for that. We have some of our most memorable talks, inside jokes and bonding around our dinner table.

There are definitely nights that we can't all sit down - but I work hard to provide a home made meal for everyone to enjoy when they are home and ready for dinner.

Here's my CHEAT!!!

I got these at my local Costco. My husband and I don't like Thai food - but the entire family - including my husband and I approved of these. 12 minutes in the oven and done.

I served these on top of a Family Fave Sweet Jasmine Rice smiles all around. 

Focaccia Bread with Rosemary and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Saw this recipe on Food Network's "The Kitchen" Katie Lee made this and her co-host Jeff Mauro suggested that you could also use store bought pizza dough to make this even faster... so - that is what I did!

My kids and I used the focaccia to make pizza, sandwiches, as toast with an over easy egg on top - YUM! The possibilities are endless!!

Focaccia Bread with Rosemary and Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 

Flaky sea salt 

For the dough: Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the water sit in the bowl for 2 minutes to warm the bowl, then dump it out. In the warmed bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, 1 tablespoon of the flour and 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F). Let stand about 5 minutes. (The mixture will be creamy and slightly bubbly; if it isn't, start over with new yeast.)

In a large bowl, mix together the kosher salt and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour. Make a well in the center and stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil and 3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F) with a wooden spoon.

Mix until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl (it will be sticky). If the dough looks dry, add an additional 2 tablespoons warm water. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead with floured hands until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball. (If using a stand mixer, mix on medium speed until soft and elastic, 4 to 7 minutes.)

Brush another large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough and roll to coat with the oil. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stretch the dough into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. For the topping: Use your fingertips to dimple the dough. Brush with the oil, top with the sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the baking dish and allow to cool slightly before slicing into squares. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and more flaky sea salt.

Parmesan Naan

These are INSANE. So good - so easy - so fast!

I'm serving soup again and I wanted to do something a little "extra" on the side.

I saw the Stonefire brand "Naan dippers" at the store and thought - these would be SO GOOD with shredded parm on them - melted!

So, I laid out all the dippers on to a cookie sheet lined with foil. I used PAM so they wouldn't stick, and laid on the shredded parm. Put them in the oven at 400 degrees for 2 min and 30 sec and woah babe.

I especially love the little crispy bits on parm that land on the foil - they are equally as good! Enjoy some tonight!!

Dying to Cheat?

Life has been ABSOLUTELY crazier than ever since August. I have 4 kids - my oldest is 6 months away from getting his license and my youngest is 6 - just old enough to be just as busy as the rest of her siblings. 

With my youngest now in school full time - I've taken on a lot of opportunities I didn't have time for before - so while my kids are busier than every - I'm also busier than ever - but we all (including my husband) still need to eat every. single. day. LOL

These are cheats I've found that work for us in the last few months...

Costco - bulk variety pack. My kids add teriyaki sauce or a little chicken broth with sugar to make something that tastes like the Sweet Jasmine Rice they all love 

 I found these several years ago. You can just microwave these in a flash (7 minutes) but what I love to do is put them in a deep pan with milk and butter to heat them up - which only takes 15-20 minutes.

My sister in law fed these chicken skewers to my kids and they RAVED! I've bought them ever since. When I'm not home my kids will heat these up in the microwave and chow down. They are seriously so good.

These aren't really a cheat - they're more of a DELICIOUS find. I get them at the Chinese market off of 90th and 1-15 (in the frozen section). I'll make pulled pork in the crock pot and set these out to thaw when I start the crock pot in the morning. The kids grab these (they are like pillowy taco shells) fill them with pulled pork and have at it. Makes a crock pot meal into a portable dinner anytime we have a second to eat.

 My favorite of all time cheats is SOUP. I've posted so many soup recipes lately - and it's because that is what I've been making most lately! I make a huge batch - we have some for dinner the night I make it, freeze enough for dinner another night and put the rest in these cute little 12 oz tupperwares that go into one of the drawers in my refrigerator. Choose your favorite - pop it in the microwave and there you have a delicious, home made, well rounded meal any time of the day!

Chicken Enchilada Chili Soup

Okay folks. This is a copy cat recipe for Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili.

I didn't know if I should title this as a chili or a soup - Café Zupas calls it a chili but I serve it more like a soup...

I often make this soup in my 4.5 quart crock pot because during the week we are in and out and I really want everyone to have a hot meal. However, I LOVE to double the recipe and use my Rachael Ray 8 quart pot.

Chicken Enchilada Chili

2 lbs chicken breast (I use rotisserie chicken)

2 c red enchilada sauce

1 c green enchilada sauce

3 c cream of chicken soup *make your own for the best flavor

1 c heavy cream

2 c chicken stock**

1 10 oz can Rotel

2 c corn (I use frozen - but canned is fine)

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)

3 T chili powder

pinch of paprika

Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to your crock pot or soup pot. Because I use rotisserie chicken (I've also used canned chicken in the past) the soup just needs to come up to temperature and the ingredients need time to marry.

**I use the chicken stock to thin out the chili a bit so it's more of a soup

Tomato Basil Soup

I revamped my Tomato Basil Soup recipe - 

just in time for a rainy day that included coaching in the rain!

Tomato Basil Soup

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

1 c all purpose flour

4 c chicken broth

4 c half & half*

24 oz marinara sauce

1 14.5 can diced tomatoes or 8 to 10 small vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1/2 c sundried tomatoes, pureed

1/2 c prepared pesto
1 T sugar (to balance the acid of the tomatoes)

Onion powder and garlic powder to taste

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture and create a roux. Wisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and pesto and cook until heated through and seasonings.

*I have used both full fat and fat free half & half - since it is used as a thickening agent, the taste is nearly the same using either.

Soup's On!!!

This is something I've done every fall & winter for many years - but as with the breakfast burritos - friends are asking me to publish what I do. These are actual recipes - that I'll link in - but you can use it for many different meals - not just soup.

This came about a few years ago when the older our kids got - the more running around I was doing and the temptation of the drive through was real. Not saying the drive through isn't a life saver - but with a little planning you can give your family more nutritious meals - and stop spending money on fast food - so you can spend money on a pedicure without feeling guilty!! LOL

I've waxed philosophical about my love of soup plenty of times on this blog - so I'll skip it. The only thing I will say is that making a huge pot of soup is CHEAP. It also is generally nutritious. My soups almost always include some form of protein and lots of veggies. I much rather having my kids heating up home made soup as an after school snack, a small pre-practice dinner - or after practice snack - than any alternative (something portable from a box in a bag).

I take one day during the week to buy everything I need for the soups I want to make. I always check what I already have on hand and usually work around those ingredients.

I take another day to make the soups. In this particular instance, my shopping trip and my "cook" day were about 1 1/2 weeks apart - life is busy YO!

It took me about 5 hours to get these soups going from start to finish. Keep in mind - with soups - most of that time is totally hands off - just letting all the ingredients marry - and while that is happening - I'm doing several other different things I've got on my "do it" list - also keep in mind that I ran a few errands and had a full house of people I was engaging with.

Today I asked my 6 yo if she thought she could make one of the soups all by herself. She's used to helping in the kitchen but she was so excited to make a meal all by herself. White Bean Chicken Chili.  The pic you see is of my now 13 & 10 yo girls...

I also recruited my 15 yo to open all the cans I needed opened and to brown the sausage and ground beef for the chili he, his dad, grandpa and Uncle will enjoy on the upcoming hunt. Running Ute Tailgate Chili 
http://breakingthereciperut.blogspot.com/search?q=runnin+ute

My 13 yo spent the day with cousins, but as soon as she walked in the door to see what was going on she asked if she could make her fave soup as well. Tomato Basil Soup the link goes to a deluxe version - which is the only one I can currently find on the blog - but usually we omit the pesto and sundried tomatoes bc we don't have them on hand as often.

I also TOTALLY revamped my Chicken Noodle Soup recipe  AND I took my first stab at Zuppa Toscano.

I separate the soups into 16 oz Tupperware containers for quick snacks/dinners OR bigger containers for a meal for 2 OR one large container when I know we'll be eating it together as a family. A few of the containers go into the fridge - most go into the freezer.

Fast Zuppa Toscana

Oh yeah babe. Zuppa Toscana. 

The great thing about any soup is that if you make it - it is inexpensive, usually has protein and lots of veggies and can be eaten as a lunch, snack, dinner or after practice/game tummy love. So satisfying! 

Apparently it also has incredible healing powers - LOLOL. Great for flu season!

I researched a bunch of recipes and came up with my own - feel free to tweak it according to your taste!!

Fast Zuppa Toscana
1 lb ground sausage
2 T red pepper flakes
2 T butter
1 lg onion, diced
1 T garlic, minced
2 qts chicken stock
20 oz fully cooked diced potatoes *
1 c heavy cream
1 c chopped kale
Salt & Pepper to taste
More red pepper flakes if desired

Brown the sausage and red pepper flakes in a large dutch oven. When the sausage is fully browned, remove and drain on paper towels.

Add butter to the dutch oven, add diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes - add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, potatoes, kale, sausage, salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn down a bit and add the heavy cream. Continue to cook until it comes up to temperature - and ENJOY!!

*I love to get stuff like this to make the cooking process go a million times faster. If you were to peel, cut and add raw potatoes, you would have to add 30 - 45 minutes to your cooking time to ensure the potatoes are cooked.