Vegetarian Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

• 1 pound vegetarian Italian sausage (typically found in the produce section, mine was 14oz)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth broth
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cups kale, torn into bite size pieces
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Fake bacon (optional) (Use 4 slices cooked and diced veggie bacon or some bacon topping, like Bac-O-Bits)

Preparations:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it browns. 
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in sausage and kale until kale begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in half and half and let sit until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 15 oz of pumpkin pie mix or 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup oats
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chunks or chips

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add in butter, mixing until crumbly.
4. Stir in egg and pumpkin. Then, the rolled oats and chocolate chips.
5. Drop heaping spoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake 11-13 minutes. Makes roughly 24 cookies.