Tuscan Italian Soup

The Kenai Peninsula is hands down one of the most beautiful places on earth. The drive from Anchorage to Soldotna takes you through a jaw dropping landscape of white capped mountains, lush green forests and stunning turquoise lakes and rivers — But being surrounded by such a diverse landscape means diverse weather and while summers in Alaska are beautiful, there are still chilly mornings and rainy afternoons. Not to worry though, we always have a hot, delicious soup waiting for our guests when they return from their fishing trips. One of our most popular soups and a personal favorite of mine is this Tuscan Italian Soup. Crumbled Italian Sausage, potatoes and spinach simmer together in a savory broth that is sure to leave you with a full belly and a smile on your face. Enjoy!

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook through until slightly crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside for garnish.
• Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add sausage and spinach and cook until spinach begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and heated through, lastly add the cheddar cheese.
• Heat through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately, garnish with bacon.