Simmering Sunday stew

I love to cook. I enjoy the entire process. Cutting the vegetables, preparing the meat, contemplating flavors and side dishes. But when I do cook, I usually follow a recipe the first time I try cooking something new and then will modify it to my liking the next few times I prepare it. Eventually it gets to the point where I have a recipe memorized and it turns out a little bit different and always delicious. 

Tonight, however, I did something completely new. I just improvised a recipe on the spot. I was in the middle of trying The Pioneer Women's pot roast, when I discovered the meat had soured in the fridge. So I put my browned onions and carrots in the fridge and ran to the store with the hubby to pick up some new meat. 

What we ended up leaving with was 10 succulent looking bratwurst. I decided to try my hand at a spin off of Olive Gardens's zuppa tuscona. Having worked there for the better part of six years, I figured I could emulate the recipe fairly easily. 

So, when I got home I diced those carrots and onions, added a few sliced tomatoes and filled the Dutch oven with chicken broth. Next we sautéed the bratwurst in bacon fat, because why not? Once those had a nice sear on the them, the were sliced and added to the soup.

We flavored the soup with roasted garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, and a healthy handful of crushed red pepper. I also added a tablespoon of butter and some extra bacon fat. Hey, I didn't say I was going for healthy here. 

And the verdict is in, Frankenstein creation tastes amazing!