Kale and Turkey Sausage Crockpot Soup

This soup came about thanks to Helen Downey finding the recipe that i adapted it from on skinnytaste.com, so thank you Helen!!
I have made this several times and it is always a crowd pleaser, with young and old, boys and girls!!

Ingredients:
1 lb package of "sweet Italian" turkey sausage (I get the links and then squeeze out of the casings before cooking)
1 big bag of Pre-chopped Kale
2 lemons
1 large yellow onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 boxes of vegetable broth or stock
6 small red potatoes, chopped and par boiled for 3-4 min
2 cans of Great Northern White beans
Olive Oil
Seasonings - Tony's, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, vinegar, salt and pepper, hot sauce


Add vegetable broth to your crock pot.  Add one can of beans to a blender and or Cuisinart and blend till smooth then add to the crock pot, whisk the broth and bean puree till smooth.  Drain the other can of beans, then add whole beans to the crock pot.  Brown sausage over med heat till cooked through, then add to crock pot.   Using the same pan, add a little olive oil and then add chopped onion, carrots and seasoning (I add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and Tony's) and saute till translucent and soft; then add garlic and saute till fragrant.  Add veggies to the crock pot.   Again using the same pan, add a little more olive oil and add 1/2 the bag of kale, sprinkle with Tony's and juice of a lemon, cook the kale down till soft then add to crock pot.  Repeat this step with the other 1/2 of kale.    Add the par-boiled potatoes to the crock pot, you can also add some of the water from the pot if you need more liquid.  Add about 2T cider vinegar, salt an pepper to taste, and any other seasonings to the crock pot and stir everything together!
Cook on high till boiling and cooked, then keep on warm while you enjoy!


Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Fast and Easy - Red Beans and Rice

Everyone from NOLA knows that Monday is red beans and rice day.  Yet at school it was an every other Wednesday lunch item!!  So no matter when you have them, if you want them fast, easy and delicious make them this way!

Kibbe's Red Beans and Rice -  (serves 4-6 adults)
3 cans light red kidney beans - open and mostly drained but not rinsed
1 package of your favorite sausage sliced, of course we use spicy Andouille around these parts!
1 large green bell pepper chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
1 large yellow onion chopped
Apple Cider Vinegar - 2-3 T
seasonings - Tony's, garlic salt, salt and pepper
hot sauce  - your favorite brand
3-4 bay leaves
olive oil
2-3 T butter

White Rice - cooked to desired consistency

Place your sliced sausage in a large saute pan, I use one with high sides so that I can make the entire dish in the same pan.   Cook over med heat till slightly browned.  Transfer sausage to a plate.  In the same pan add olive oil and a little butter, as the butter melts add some Tony's or Cajun seasoning to flavor the butter/oil mixture.  Add all your chopped vegetables, along with your other seasonings.  Sauteed till wilted/translucent and soft.

Add two cans of your red beans. Take the third can and using a blender or Cuisinart puree till smooth and creamy, I add cider vinegar here to help make the mix even smoother.  Add your pureed beans to the saute pan along with several dashes of your favorite hot sauce.  Add your browned sausage back to the pan.  Stir over med-high heat till boiling, then add your bay leaves reduce heat to low and simmer till ready to eat.  Make sure to stir occasionally so that the beans do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
I serve hot over rice.

We all know that in Cajun food flavor grows over time, so I will often make the red beans a day or so ahead and let sit so that all the flavors can mature!  You can also freeze any left overs.

ENJOY and happy cooking!!!!