CrockPot Zuppa Toscana

This recipe excited me because I’m learning to love my crockpot. My mom gave us one of her crockpots around the time we got married and Tony and I went the first 5 years without using it once. Yikes!
Tony started making chili in it and then here recently, I decided that this would be good for starting dinner early, then digging in at dinner time.
I have another Zuppa recipe from Pinterest that was amazing. This recipe is very similar, actually identical, except for the red pepper flakes, which I will add next time!
You start by browning 1lb of Italian Sausage, I usually go for mild or medium, so it gives it a little kick. Take
2 large russet baking potatoes, I used regular potatoes and it worked just fine, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices. 1 large onion , chopped, recipe says you can add 1/4 cup of bacon bits, but I did not because Olive Garden has no bacon in their soup. Mince up 2 garlic cloves and throw everything you’ve got so far into your crockpot with 16oz of chicken broth and 1qt of water. Directions on the pin said 3-4 hours on high, but I was going to be at work all day, so I did low heat for 7-8 hours and it worked like a charm.
Once you have cooked yours for whichever time frame you go with, you turn your crockpot off and add in 2 cups of coarsely chopped kale. Put the lid back on and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Kale is great because it doesn’t turn into a soggy mess with the heat! After the five minutes have passed, stir in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and serve. Next time I make this, I will be adding in red pepper flakes with the kale. I’ll start with 1tsp and go from there. The original recipe was good, but I felt it needed the kick.
Original pin can be found at http://getcrocked.com/2011/10/23/crock-pot-zuppa-toscana-copycat/
Also check out my previous Zuppa pin at https://superstevied.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/zuppa-toscana/