Beautiful Soup... so rich and green

So I've been feeling kind of ill these past few days and have been eating a LOT of soup. Mostly chicken noodle, as prescribed by mothers and grandmothers everywhere. One can only eat so much chicken noodle. I had to make something new. So one night when Mama Dukes came to check on me (she's so sweet) we went down to the Teeter (Harris Teeter for those who don't know) and bought some basics for an awesome kale and tortellini soup. Its really delicious and simple to make. Its also very cheap. We bought some Portuguese rolls to dunk in the broth. Portuguese rolls are similar to sourdough rolls but are slightly sweet. Mama Dukes and I used to get them from a bakery in Connecticut where we lived for a while. We would eat them for breakfast, toasted and with a little butter and a side of hot tea. I was a very happy little girl. I basically did the same thing here, including the tea because I felt like crap. Anyhoo, if you can't find them at the Teeter or your local bakery, complain loudly and make a huge scene, perhaps you will get your way. Just get some rolls, you worry-wort.



Here's the recipe as I made it but feel free to experiment and throw in what you have. If you can't get kale, use mustard greens or baby spinach. Out of potatoes but have onions, throw one in. Don't like tortellini, get your head checked. The possibilities are endless, people. That's the beauty of soup.


Beautiful Soup (Kale and Tortellini)

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 sm red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 c. fresh parsley or 1 t. dried
10 c. chicken broth
4 c. curly kale or mustard greens, rinsed, stemmed and chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Dash of thyme
Dash of crushed red pepper
Dash of ground black pepper
1 pkg of fresh tortellini of your choice
(I used a Teeter brand that was prosciutto and Parmesan cheese... delicious)

1. In a big ol' pot, heat the olive oil (about med high) and then sauté the garlic until it becomes just aromatic. Throw in the potatoes and cook for about 3 to 5 mins. Add the parsley.

2. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then add the kale, bay leaves, salt, thyme, red pepper, and black pepper. Simmer for 20 to 25 mins until potatoes are tender.

3. Add the tortellini and cook for another 5 or 6 mins. Serve with your favorite rolls and smile cuz you got beautiful soup!

Enjoi!