Sausage, Greens, & Potato Soup

Winter Break is blissful.  I've been relaxing with my family and cooking yummy food!  I made Sausage, Potato, & Greens soup on New Year's Day.  It was a lazy day...  I love a lazy day.  I love a good soup!  It made for a perfect day in fuzzy, warm socks and pajama bottoms...

Sausage, Greens, & Potato Soup
1 package italian sausage (I usually use turkey but they were out)
1 bag greens (I bought a bag at Trader Joe's of mixed baby kale, baby spinach, and baby chard)
4 quarts chicken stock (I use Better than Bouillon)
4 medium potatoes, sliced
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup skim milk

Cook the sausage until almost done, about 8 minutes, in olive oil.  Add the onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Stir and cook until onions are almost done, on medium heat.  Don't cook over high heat because the garlic can quickly become bitter.  Add the chicken stock.  Add the potatoes.  Raise heat to high.  Bring to a boil.  Lower to medium heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.  Mix the milk and flour together until smooth.  Pour into the soup.  Stir until smooth.  Add the greens and cook for another 5 minutes.  I normally use just kale or spinach but decided to use mixed greens.

This soup comes together quickly.  You could easily cook this in the crock pot on low for  5 - 6 hours.  It's even better the next day when the flavors have time to blend.

The Husband is watching Breaking Bad without me.... We DVR'd the whole series over the weekend. That's what Winter Break is for, right???