White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale

Once we start having chilly fall evenings, I tend to pull out my slow cooker, and I find myself adding kale to soups and 

sauces pretty frequently. Occasionally, I'll make this with sausage for my hubby and kids but I prefer to use a Turkey sausage for myself.

Here are a few other meals you can use with your slow cooker 

White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale(Serves 6-8)

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 pound dry white beans (canellini or great northern), rinsed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 large bunch kale, thick stems removed and chopped
• Parmigino-reggiano cheese (optional)

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spatula as it browns.  Once the sausage is cooked through, add the red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Transfer the meat and drippings to your slow cooker.

Add the beans, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to the meat in the slow cooker, and stir to combine.  Add the chicken broth and the sprigs of fresh thyme.  Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.

Approximately 30 minutes before serving, stir in the tomato and the kale. Once the tomato is warmed through and the kale has wilted into the soup, serve topped with flakes of parmigiano-reggiano cheese, if desired.