This stew is good on a cold day. I got this recipe from a family friend years ago, and I'm so glad she shared it with me. She didn't saute her sausage before cooking, I added that step to help get any extra grease out before cooking, so you can omit that step if you prefer or if you have lean sausage. I used a 2 qt. CrockPot for these quantities. If you double this or add a few extra veggies, you will need a bigger pot.