Day 1: Zuppa Toscana

I have a love/hate relationship with my Crockpot.  I love the idea of getting a meal prepared ahead of time, and letting it slow-cook while the flavors meld together; BUT, I am often out of the house for 9+ hours a day, which is longer than most slow-cooker recipes recommend (even on "low").  Plus, I don't really have time in the morning to do any preparations before heading to work with 2 babes in tow.  So, I usually end up saving my Crockpot meals for a day I'm home all day.  This recipe, however, I think I could do on a workday since I've discovered it tasted better the longer it simmers in the Crockpot (and I could do the prep work the night before).  Tonight was my second time making Zuppa Toscana, and it was so much better than the first time I made it, and the only thing I did different was let it cook longer.  I ran across this recipe on the internet at some point, and just made my own minor adjustments.

Here's my recipe:
1 lb (package) of hot Italian sausage (I use ground)
4-6 potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3-4 gloves of garlic, chopped
32 oz (or more) chicken broth (homemade makes a difference!)
1 bunch of kale
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 TB flour

Throw the broth, potatoes, onion, garlic, and BROWNED sausage into the Crockpot and let cook 5-6 hours on low.  AT LEAST 30 minutes before serving, whisk the flour and cream together and add to the soup.  Add the chopped kale, salt, and pepper.  (The longer it sits, the better it gets!)

With this, I also served salad, garlic/basil bread, and for dessert: Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Squares (recipe to come later this week).