If you follow me on Pinterest at all, you are well aware that I am totally freaking out (in an excited, enthusiastic way) about my garden this year. See, we moved to a new place last fall, and we have this ginormous (to us) area that I can potentially make into an incredible kitchen garden.
We’re talking 50 feet long, multiple arbors, potting area, lots of sunny space for herbs, all the veggies I want, maybe an espaliered apple tree or seven, berries galore. And basically I cannot stop daydreaming.
Though it has become evident to us that we might need homeowner’s association approval for some of this and I’m a little freaked/annoyed/stressed by that. But! We shall see.
Meanwhile, I’m ready to build our first batch of raised beds, and one of the first things I’m planting? Kale, my friends. You know it.
The other first thing we’re planting, incidentally, will be peas, because my two-year-old is very excited about growing peas. And also ladybugs. I guess because I told her we’d probably have ladybugs in the garden. So she’s thinking we’re going to have a bumper crop of ’em.
Anyway! See how excited I am? I just keep rambling on and on. When really, I just wanted to mention to you that, hey! I’m excited to grow some kale. Because you know what recipe has two thumbs and kale? THIS SOUP! Except it doesn’t have thumbs. It’s vegetarian. It just has kale. And red potatoes. And sausage for the meat-eaters, if they want it. And some other stuff. Delicious stuff. Like fennel seeds, which I think really make the soup.
It’s reminiscent of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, and yes, I do eat at Olive Garden approximately once per year, and I even usually like it. Shame me. Shame me now. Anyway, I’m not sure I’d go so far as to call this a vegetarian copycat recipe, but it’s close, and I think it’s pretty wonderful.
I hope you do, too.