Recipe of the Month.......

Portuguese Sausage & Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 6 ounces kielbasa sausage, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound fresh kale, washed, or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped kale, thawed and drained
• 2 cans (13 3/4 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups low-fat milk
  
• 2 large russet potatoes, boiled with skin on and sliced
  
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf marjoram, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
  

Directions

Place potatoes in large pot of warm water. Boil rapidly for about 30-40 minutes until you can easily stab with a fork. Remove from heat, drain, let cool and slice in 1/2 to 1 inch think rounds then cut rounds in half. Put aside until ready to add to soup.

Saute kielbasa, onion and garlic in oil in large pot over medium-low heat until tender, about 10 minutes.

If using fresh kale, cut off stems and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Keep stem pieces separate. Coarsely chop fresh leaves.

Add to the pot the chicken broth, 4 cups milk, marjoram, salt, pepper and sliced fresh kale stems or frozen kale, if using. Bring to boiling. Lower heat; cover and cook for 15 minutes longer. If using fresh kale, add the leaves at this point along with the slice potatoes to the pot. Bring to boiling. Lower the heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, serve with fresh sourdough bread if desired.

*You can substitute, ground turkey, ground mild or hot Italian sausage or ground beef for the kielbasa.