Bean and Sausage Soup

Here’s a hearty soup, just right for still cold days.  My husband thought we needed to have this again.  You can use your home-canned or purchased canned beans and vegetables from your pantry, as I did.  Always nice to have another recipe to use your storage staples.   

If you use fresh potatoes, I wouldn’t peel them, just cube them.  I keep bacon and sausage on hand in my freezer, as well as chopped onion I freeze, so this wasn’t a recipe I had to go out and buy something to make.                

BEAN & SAUSAGE SOUP

  2             slices  bacon

     1/2      c.  chopped onion

  1             c.  sliced carrots (can use canned carrots)

  1             c.  cubed peeled potato (can use 1/2 pint canned potatoes)

     1/4      c.  chopped fresh parsley

     1/2      tsp.  dried marjoram leaves (optional)

     1/4      tsp.  ground black pepper

  2             c.  water (use potato and/or carrot water for part of this if using canned vegetables)

  1 1/4      c.  thinly sliced sausage (8 ounces) -- Polish, Brats, Ring Bologna or your choice

  1             can  canned cut green beans -- (16 oz.) undrained

  1             can  canned Great Northern beans -- (16 oz.) undrained

In large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Crumble bacon. Set aside. Sauté onion in reserved 1 tablespoon drippings until tender.

Add raw carrot*, raw potato*, parsley, marjoram, pepper and water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add sausage, beans and reserved bacon. Heat thoroughly. 

*If using canned potatoes and/or carrots, add with the beans at the end.

Serves 6