Winter's here...and soup's on!

Winter is finally here.  This week, we've seen the temperature drop to a low 14 degrees.  And this is during the day.  Brrrrrr!!!!  And last night, we even got some snow.  But I guess this should be the norm for this time of year.  That's okay.  I don't mind a couple of days of frigid temperature.  That's a couple of days, Mother Nature.  Not months please!  At least it gives me a chance to sport my Uggs, lol.

And...it's the perfect temperature to have SOUP!  I love soup!  Especially hearty, chunky soups.  Give me my sweats, my fuzzy slippers, a big hot pot of soup and a loaf of crispy, warm baguette and I'm ALL set. 

This coming Friday, I'll be going to a soup swap.  What's a soup swap?  Well, everyone brings 5 quarts of soup (frozen) and the soup recipe and get together and...you guessed it...swap soup.  So you bring your 5 quarts and you leave with 5 quarts of different soups.  And lots of written recipes.   It's fun and a great way to try different types of soups.  Much like a cookie swap, only a bit more healthier.  So for the swap, I made my Tuscan White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup.  It's hearty!  It's filling!  And it's super yummie!  I should know, I just had 2 big bowls of it.  It's kinda like a Zuppa Toscana, but without the cream.  I use sweet Italian sausage, but you can use a spicy sausage or add red pepper flakes to the soup, if you like it spicy.  But because Lil T loves this soup as well, I opted to leave out the spice.  If you want to make it even healthier, you can substitute the Italian sausage for Italian turkey sausage.  This recipe makes a big pot of soup, enough to serve 8 - 10 people.  So if you're like us, you might have lots of leftovers.  But don't worry, this soup freezes very well and the leftovers are even tastier. 

So enough chit chat.  Head to the supermarket for the ingredients and LET'S MAKE SOME SOUP!

Tuscan White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup                    

- 1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing

-  1 tablespoon olive oil

-  2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

-  2 ribs celery, diced

-  1 medium onion, chopped

-  3 garlic cloves, finely minced

- 2 medium potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

-  8 cups of fat-free chicken broth

-  1 cup water

-  1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes in juice

-  2 cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

-  1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

-  3 bay leaves

-  1 small bunch of kale, trimmed from stems and coarsely chopped

-  2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsley (optional)

-   salt and pepper to taste

  In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Saute the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces until no longer pink, about 3 -4 minutes.

  Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves.  Saute until soften, about 4 -5 minutes. 

  Add the chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes, and beans.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat to simmer for 35 - 40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.  The longer you let simmer, the more flavorful it will be. 

  Add kale and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add chopped parsley, if using.  Remove from heat and serve.  Best served with a big hunk of warm, crispy baguette.