Yummy Soup

So today I thought I'd share a recipe for a soup that I made for last night's midweek Lent dinner. It's adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe that you can find here: Sausage-and-Broccoli Rabe Stoup. I substituted the broccoli rabe for kale since I couldn't find any and it tasted great. For those of you unfamiliar with her recipes she calls something thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew a "stoup".
On with the recipe!

Sausage and Kale Stoup

1 large or 2 smaller bunches of Kale
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package of italian sausage links (usually 5 to a package - I use mild, but if you want it a little spicier,    hot would taste really good I think)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 big teaspoonfuls of minced)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups chicken stock/broth
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping

Optional: 1 1/2 cups short cut pasta


In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling with a spoon, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and their juices and 2 cups water; cover and bring to a boil. Stir in the white beans and kale and return to a boil. At this point the soup is done.
If you are adding pasta you would add it now and cook stirring occasionally until the pasta is done. The first time I made the soup I added pasta and it did come out really thick. If you want it a little soupier just add in a bit more water. 


If you are planning on freezing this I would cook like above but leave out the kale and pasta and add those in when you reheat it.


Enjoy :-)