Kale, White Bean, and Sausage Soup
This is a nice and easy version of a good, nourishing, familiar soup. You can substitute a handful of fresh spinach for the kale if you like.
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 lb. Conecuh sausage (or other spicy smoked sausage), cut in ½” rounds
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1/2 bunch kale, stemmed, trimmed, and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 t. dried thyme
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 cans cannellini beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until all are soft. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until the sausage is browned. Pour in the stock, add the kale, garlic, thyme and pepper flakes.
Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Add the beans and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Parmesan Saltines
You’ll wonder why you haven’t been making these more often! (That stuff in the green can is fine for these. No, really. It is.)
1 sleeve of saltines
Soft butter
A big pinch of Italian seasoning
Grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each cracker and put the crackers in a single layer on a sheet pan, buttered side up. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Bake just until crackers are lightly toasted, maybe 5 or 6 minutes. Cool. These can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.