Easy Bean and Sausage Soup

I really like to whip this up and let it cook all day. Even better tasting the next day, if there is any left. Serve it up with crusty French bread and you are set. I just started throwing things together in a pot one day when I was hungry for soup and this was born. My kids like it with mild sausage but the Hubby and I prefer the spicy.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 (15 7/8ounce) cans great northern beans
• 1  lb sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  celery rib, chopped
• 1  cup carrot, chopped
• 2  large potatoes, chopped
• 4  cups fat free chicken broth (approx. 2 cans)
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  tablespoons sage
• 2  tablespoons cumin
• 2  tablespoons thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  red pepper
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Brown the sausage in an 8 quart dutch oven and drain. Remove from the pot. I like to rinse the meat and set it aside.
2. Saute the onion, celery, carrots and olive oil in the same pot that you browned the meat. Get the onions nice and carmelized. When they are really brown, deglaze the pan with the chicken broth.
3. Add the sausage and all the other ingredients into the pot and let simmer. The soup is ready to eat when the carrots and potatoes are fork tender.
4. If you like a little thicker texture to the soup you can add a couple of tablespoons of flour or cornstarch and get it to the thickness you prefer. Or of course add more broth if you like it thinner.
5. This is a great recipe for the crock pot also.