Creamy Sausage, Tomato & Kale Minestrone

Sometimes you just have to play in the kitchen. The following recipe is an adaptive version from one of our family's favorite soups Sausage, Spinach and Tortellini Soup.

Ingredients
1 # Italian sausage without the casing (I used mild)
1 8 oz Package of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 1/c Minestrone pasta (Ditalini)
2-3 cups fresh chopped kale
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
2  TBS Crushed Red Pepper flakes
4 cups of Chicken broth (or veggie broth)

Directions
1. In a soup pot brown sausage, onions, and celery together on medium heat until the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender. Add in garlic and cook for another minute or two.
2. Add in tomatoes and all the seasonings.
3. Cut cream cheese into small squares and add to the sauce. Stir in until it is incorporated well.
4. Stir in kale. (I LOVE using kale because it hold's its texture ~ unlike spinach)
5. Add 4 cups of broth and turn heat up to medium high.
6. Pour in minestrone noodles and stir well cooking for the length suggested on box.

Mine came out a bit thick so you can add more broth if you wish, or perhaps a bit of half & half. This is a GREAT dinner to serve to a crowd along side of some crusty french bread and side salad.