Slow Cooker Turkey Zuppa Toscana

I really like the Zuppa Toscana soup from Olive Garden and found a recipe with great reviews online (the link is at the bottom of this step)

However, at the time I didn't have access to a proper stove, having only a slow cooker and a small two sided electric grill (like a George Foremen Grill). I also wanted to make the recipe with ground turkey which is a little healthier and in my own opinion better tasting.

I found that the recipe adapted surprisingly well to my less than ideal cooking environment, tasting very similar to the restaurant version and it was easy to boot.

Original Recipe:

http://www.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-copycat-zuppa-toscana-38298

1/4 Cup of Bacon Bits

1lb of Ground Turkey (I used Italian Seasoned)

1 Quart Heavy Whipping Cream

x2 Cans of Chicken Broth (8 oz)

x1 Large Onion

x2 Garlic Cloves

x2 Large Potatoes

x2 Cups of Kale

x1 Container of Shredded Parmesan Cheese

I browned the ground turkey on the electric grill, slicing the large patty into smaller slabs before laying them on the grill. Once cooked I crumbled the meat into the slow cooker and added the chicken broth and water (about 1 quart).

I halved the potatoes and then cut them into slices of my desired thickness (about 1/4 inch). I chopped the onion and then minced the two cloves of garlic before adding it all to the slow cooker which I set on low for 6 to 8 hours.

After the potatoes are fully cooked (its good to check them around hour 5 for tenderness) its time to add the final ingredients. Ideally this step should be done less than an hour before serving (so everything gets up to temp while the kale doesn't fall apart). After adding the bacon bits I seasoned the soup to taste with salt and black pepper then added the heavy whipping cream and chopped kale. As mentioned above I let the finished soup cook on low for about an hour before serving with Parmesan cheese on top.

The soup tasted great and best of all with a little planning and inventiveness I made it without the use of a stove. Whether you don't have access to a stove or just want to cook a delicious soup while your away from home, this recipe and Instructable is for you.

Enjoy and feel free to vote for this Insructable in the Slow Food Contest and Beyond Comfort Zone Contests!