Crock Pot White Bean and Sausage Soup

The crock pot is one of my favorite things. Especially during the week when I'm busy after work with working out and getting the dog exercised. I made this over the weekend so that I could have leftovers during the week. I had made it once previously when I was moving and it was great as leftovers! I think that, as a rule, soup is almost better as leftovers! This soup is the easiest and it's pretty healthy. This time I made it even easier by using frozen mixed veggies as I didn't have any fresh on hand. I also used some previously made and frozen homemade veggie stock mixed with boxed chicken broth. It turned out great and it actually looks much fresher with the frozen veggies I used. Also, the recipe calls for the hot turkey sausage but my grocery store never has that. Both times I've used the sweet turkey sausage and it turns out fine. I do think it'd be better with the spicy turkey sausage so next time I see it I'll be sure to stock up!

I love the website that this came from. She uses the crock pot everyday to make her food. I have found a ton of different crock pot recipes from her and I'm hoping to be able to use the crock pot once a week! Here's the recipe with my changes!

White Bean and Sausage Soup
From: A Year of Slow Cooking

--1 can white kidney beans

--1 can pinto beans

--1 can garbanzo beans

--1 t thyme

--2-4 spicy chicken or turkey sausage (I used three and I took it out of the casing and broke it up into the broth as there was no direction of what to do with it and this made the most sense to me)

--1/2 chopped yellow onion (I used more than this)

--1/2 cup leftover rice pilaf (if you want to use raw rice, you should have enough liquid to add 1/4 to 1/3 cup without losing soupiness)

--2 cups chopped fresh vegetables (I had broccoli, carrots, asparagus--as I said above I used frozen mixed veggies)

--1 quart chicken or vegetable broth (I used half homemade veggie broth and the rest boxed chx broth)

The Directions.

Drain your beans (I didn't rinse, for no reason other than sheer laziness -- I rinsed 'cause I'm a sodium freak) and throw them into your crock. Chop up whatever vegetables you are going to use in tiny pieces. Break up sausage and add.

Cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The soup is done when it's heated through and the vegetables are tender, but it's not going to hurt anything to cook it longer and give the flavors more time to meld. (This time I cooked on high for about 5 hours but last time I let it cook on low all day. I think it was a little better cooked on low all day)