Italian Sausage, Tomato, and Potato Soup

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once warm, add the diced onions. Sprinkle with about 1/8 tp salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until they start to turn translucent.

Add the diced potatoes. Cook 5-10 minutes or until they start to lightly brown, stirring often enough that they don't burn, but not too much so they don't turn to mush.

Optional step: Add minced, fresh garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Then add white wine. Cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring often to deglaze pot.

Add tomatoes and hot water. Stir to combine, cover pot, and bring soup to a boil. You may need to adjust the heat higher depending on your cook top.

While the soup is coming to a boil, pan fry the meat in a large frying pan. If you chose a lean mean, add a tablespoon of olive oil to your pan before adding the meat. If you feel your meat needs flavoring, spread the meat evenly over the pan, add your favorite seasonings from the above list, and stir well to combine. Cook meat on medium heat until it's brown in color and no pink is visible.

Add cooked meat to boiling soup and stir to combine. Turn heat back down to medium if the boil is too aggressive. You want a nice, calm simmer.

Taste your soup to get a sense of where the flavor is at. Add 3 tablespoons chicken base. Then, add 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (double it if you skipped the fresh garlic) and 3 tablespoons fresh or dried thyme or dried Italian herb mix. Let cook for 5 minutes. Now, taste it. What does it need? Can you taste the pepper? Does it need more chicken flavor? How’s the salt level? Can you taste the herbs? If it needs salt, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Then, taste it again. If you go overboard on any one spice, add more water, and try again. If it tastes blah, add more chicken base, garlic, and herbs. Let simmer for 5 minutes and taste it again. If you are looking for a more spicy soup, throw in some cayenne pepper or chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon at a time.

Once you’re satisfied with how your broth tastes, bring it to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Check them after 10 minutes by poking a bigger piece of potato with a fork.

Give it a taste. If it's good, move on to the next step. Add more chicken base, salt, pepper, garlic or herbs if the flavor is bland. Add more bouillon if there isn’t enough complex flavor. If the flavor is overpowering, add water.

Once you get your flavor right, turn the heat down to low and add 1 1/2 cups half and half. Give it another taste. It should be done, but repeat the flavoring steps if the half n' half diluted your soup too much. Add the remaining 1/2 cup half and half if you want the soup to be creamier.

Serve with a crusty, rustic bread!