Sausage & Kale Fall Soup

This soup tastes like autumn harvest :-) You know that taste? I think you do.  Well this recipe is one that you must try this fall.  The flavors are so of the earth (does that make sense?) and healthy mostly healthy.  This soup is a deliciously light yet somehow savory dish that you can make in a single pot.  Cue the clapping and cheering! So try this soup and let me know what you think :-)

Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 lb ground Italian sausage, I used medium but you could go mild or hot too
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more for taste if you want
1 large sweet potato, cut into (1-inch ish) cubes
10-12 lil smokies, chopped
3 cups kale leaves (no stalk) chopped
6 cups (or 3 pints for you math people) organic chicken stock (I honestly used organic bouillon)
black pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
(edit since original post: I cooked 2 lbs of Italian sausage- one mild & one hot. I also added 4 cups of chicken stock to compensate for the extra meat and I let it simmer all afternoon.  I also added a can of black eyed peas at the end just long enough to warm up but not get squishy)

Directions:
1. In a stock pot cook bacon until crispy, and then add the sausage until browned.
2. To the pot, add onions, garlic, & salt.  Cook until the onions are translucent, and then add the chicken stock, sweet potato, & lil smokies.
3. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. When the sweet potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes later), add the kale to wilt.  Season with sea salt, black pepper, & red pepper flakes.
4. Enjoy!