Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Recipe from Robbie's Recipes

Ingredients
1 pound spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
1/2 pound smoked bacon - chopped
4 cups water
2, 14.5 ounce cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1 medium onion - peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper - to taste

Directions
1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.

3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

4. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. (I may try adding the kale at this point next time that I make this so that it is a little softer.)

5. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Kneader's Raspberry Bread Pudding

Recipe from Heather Jensen

Cream Mix:
1 1/2 loaves aged, white bread
1 qt. heavy cream
3 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Fruit Filling:
5 C. frozen raspberries
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. apple juice

Vanilla Sauce:
1 1/3 C. butter
5 Tbs. flour
3 C. heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. sugar

In a large bowl, combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Cut bread into 1 1/2" cubes and add to cream mixture, coating bread well. Let stand 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes to allow cream to absorb completely. For fruit filling, combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Layer a 9x13 dark baking dish 3/4 full with bread mixture, pour fruit filling over bread mixture, spreading evenly, top with remaining bread. Bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm. Top with vanilla sauce. For vanilla sauce, over medium heat, melt butter, and add flour. Stir 10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma; do not brown. Add salt, cream and sugar and boil till mixture is thick. Remove from heat, adding vanilla. Serve this wonderful sauce cold.