Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Sausage

We had some horrible storms with tornadoes the other night and it was prefect soup weather. I wasn't sure what kind of soup to make, though, because I didn't have many ingredients on hand. I did have Italian sausage and found this recipe via google. It tastes a lot like spaghetti. It was very good with French bread on the side.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Sausage
Picky Palate
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 lb Italian Sausage
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (stacked, rolled and thinly sliced)(I just used dried basil)
1 26 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce or homemade sauce
1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, partially drained (don't drain and add less than a cup of water instead of a whole cup)
1 Cup water
1 1/2 Cups half and half
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
1. Place olive oil and onion into a medium sized dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic.
3. Stir in basil leaves, pasta sauce, tomatoes, water, half and half, salt and pepper.
4. Cook until warm then reduce heat to low.
5. Simmer until ready to serve.

Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden Copycat recipe)

I love soup in cold weather and this soup is soooo good and came out pretty close to tasting like the Olive Garden soup. I will definitely make this again!

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)
Source: Robbie's Recipes

Ingredients
1 pound spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
1/2 pound smoked bacon - chopped
4 cups water
2, 14.5 ounce cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed (I used 3 and could have used more, maybe 4-5, I like potatoes though)
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1 medium onion - peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard (I used Swiss chard it turned out Whole Foods is the only store I found near here with either of these ingredients. Oh how I miss Woodmans)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half and half)
salt and pepper - to taste

Directions
1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
4. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.