The thing about soups like this, especially ones with a mix of veggies, is that you don’t have to be exact.  This recipe changes a little every time I make it, and you’ll probably want to tweak it to suit your own tastes – or whatever you have in your garden, or what looks good at your local fresh produce market.

 

Here’s what I used:

 

1 bunch of kale

1 head of cauliflower

½ lb bacon (buy the good stuff!)

½ lb hamburger

½ lb Italian sausage or breakfast sausage

1 large container of chicken stock (or chicken broth that can be canned or made from powder)

2 carrots

1 zucchini

2 green onions

Garlic (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

½ cup heavy whipping cream (can substitute milk, or just leave out)

 

Here’s what I did:

 

1.  Clean all the veggies well and cut into bite size pieces except for kale.  Put all into a big pot with the chicken stock, garlic, salt and pepper. Add enough water to make sure the veggies are covered. Boil until soft then reduce heat to simmer.

 

2.  While the veggies are cooking, fry up the hamburger and the sausage in the same pan, breaking into bite-sized chunks. 

 

3.  Slice bacon into bite-size sections and fry. (I recommend slicing the bacon while it is in the package.  Another option is to fry the bacon and crumble it after)

4.  Add the cooked meats to the pot with the veggies.  It’s up to you how much of the grease you want to put in your soup.  I think it tastes good so I put it all in.

 

5.  Simmer for at least ten minutes while you prepare the kale.  You can cut the kale into bite-sized pieces, or you can tear it by hand, by pulling the leaves away from the stems and discarding the stems.

 

6.  Add the kale and simmer until the kale is softened.  Then, if you choose, add the cream or milk and heat until warm.

 

NOTE:  Best served with fresh-baked bread.