"A Year of Slow Cooking: Italian-Style Calico Bean Soup ( only 4
ingredients!)
by Stephanie O'Dea

The Ingredients
serves 8-10

1 (16-ounce) package bean soup mix, flavor packet discarded
1 (12 to 16-ounce) package bulk Italian sausage, browned and crumbled
1 (26-ounce) jar prepared pasta sauce
2 empty pasta sauce jars worth of water
1 chicken bouillon cube (12 grams)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large pot on the stove top, bring the beans
to a rapid boil in a bunch of fresh water. Boil the beans for 10 minutes,
then cover and remove from the heat. Let the beans sit in the cooling water
for 1 hour, then drain and rinse in clean water. Place the beans into an
empty slow cooker insert.

{please note that because this bean mix contains red beans, the beans
*must* be boiled this way to kill a naturally-occurring potential toxin
found in red beans. It's best to be safe rather than sorry!]

In a large skillet, brown the bulk sausage on the stove top, and drain any
accumulated fat. Scrape the pan contents into your cooker. Add the entire
jar of pasta sauce, and two jars-worth of water. Drop in the bouillon cube.
Stir to combine. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for
about 5 hours. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and a hunk of homemade
cornbread.

enjoy!

The Verdict

I love this bean mix because it has something for everyone -- I especially
love the great big huge butter beans that nearly triple in size while
cooking. The leftovers freeze beautifully, and I enjoy having lots of little
containers in the fridge ready to go for lunches during the week.
If freezing, you'll need to thin a tiny bit with broth or water upon
reheating."

--
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