Start by placing 6 to 8 small to medium (about 1 pound total) redskin potatoes into a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water by 2-inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer with the lid askew for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced by a fork, with zero resistance. While the potatoes cook, I prep the remaining ingredients.

Drain the potatoes into a colander set into your kitchen skin and return the pot to the stove top. Once cool, dice the potatoes into bite-size pieces.

To the pot add the olive oil, the yellow onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until tender and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Then add in the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Next add in the bulk breakfast sausage and cook on medium to medium-low heat until browned and fully cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes or so. You want there to be browned bits [or fond] on the bottom of the pot, because there is so much flavor in those.

Stir in the flour until fully absorbed and no trace of flour remains. All brands of sausage can be different, so add more flour if needed to absorb any remaining traces of fat. Once the flour has been absorbed, add in a few pinches of red pepper flakes before pouring in the 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, scraping those brown bits up off the bottom of your pot. Then add in the 2 cups half & half.

Stir, bring to a simmer and continue to cook until the soup starts to thicken. Then add in the diced potatoes and chopped kale. Stir and continue to cook until the kale has wilted and the soup is thick. About 15 more minutes or so. Alternatively, you can wait for the kale to wilt and then thicken it by stirring in a slurry mixture of 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water.

Season the soup with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with a loaf of crusty bread.