First before I get into today’s post I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Ashton at Something Swanky!! I am sure you have already noticed the amazing transformation that the blog has undergone! This adorable look and all the pretty buttons are all due to her hard work. On this Last day of November the month of Thankfulness I am eternally grateful! You have to visit her blog!
I make this soup every winter for my husband. This is his absolute favorite soup that I make. He never ever eats leftovers, except for this and one other soup I make. That is the best endorsement I could ever hope to get! I wish that I could get him to eat more left overs of everything I make. He is really weird when it comes to food. No one knows why? I have asked his Mom and his Sisters and they all say he is just like that and they are glad that it is my problem now and not theirs. He can’t even tell why he won’t eat them he just won’t. I guess of all the weird habits a person can have that one isn’t too terribly bad. He has some Amazing Qualities that outweigh the weird food issues. Like he never cares how much money I spend and he wants me to have a good time whenever we go anywhere, he might not remember special dates and times but he can remember every silly little aside I have done. He really is my Best Friend and I don’t know what I would do without him. That’s my Stevie! So when he says that he is in the mood for his favorite soup I jump right to it and make it for him!
This year I made 2 changes and he said that they worked for him. Hallelujah! I usually use Russet Potatoes and this time I switched it out for White Navy Beans and I added a can of tomato paste. No reason for the change just felt like it. The tomato paste really did add a nice acidity and richness to it. I will be adding this in from now on. I use Kale because that is my green of choice. It is healthy and really holds up to the heat of boiling. To retain the bright green color you can blanch it first before adding it to the soup. I think Kale works better than bitter Mustard Greens and it doesn’t get slimy like Collard Greens. I might have been raised in South, but I was born in Chicago. As much as I love Nashville and the whole State of Tennessee, I can not eat true Southern Food like Collard Greens and Gibblet Gravy, and please keep Okra as far from me as possible! So Kale it is! Kale is also a “Super Food” So yippee for me on that one!
This is perfect when you need to warm up on a cold winter night. It has plenty of protein and complex carbs for sustained energy and feeling all full and happy in your tummy! Just look at all the yummy things in this soup: White Navy Beans, Italian Sausage, Kale, and spices galore!
Have this soup and a nice crusty roll and build your self a nice roaring fire in the fireplace, well that sounds like you have the perfect winter night planned!
For an even thicker soup omit the beans and use cubed russet potatoes with the skins left on. This is my own personal recipe that I created for my Family
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage links
- 1/2 white onion chopped
- 1 bunch of kale washed and trimmed
- 32 oz of Chicken Broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 14 oz cans of White Navy (Canellini) Beans
- 1 can of tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbs of marjoram
- 1 tsp of each white pepper, black pepper, red pepper flakes
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or stock pot cook the sausage links till done and no pink remains
- remove and let cool a little (enough to handle to slice)
- over med high heat
- in the oil that the links left behind saute the onion till soft and translucent
- add the kale and toss around in the onions for 30 sec
- add the chicken broth and water
- add all remaining ingredients (go light on your salt. You can taste and adjust later if needed)
- bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer
- slice the sausage into 1/8' slices and add to the pot
- cover and let simmer for at least 30 min but an hour is better
- taste during this time and adjust your seasoning as you see fit
- Serve and Enjoy
