Smoked Sausage and Bean Soup

It has been quite a week!! Both Hess and Diane had a pretty bad virus.  When your toddler is sick, lots of kisses, hugs, cuddles and kids shows will make them feel better.  But when a newborn is sick, nothing helps.  So the week was full of Bubble Guppies, Umi Zoomi and screams and tears.  Already this week has started better!  

Miss Diane is three months old, as of Monday.  How did that happen?!  Growing and developing every day!!

The smoked sausage and bean soup was easy enough to start.  Combine 28 ounces of chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of hot water, 1 cup of dried black beans, 1 cup of chopped onion, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp sugar and a sprinkling of ground red pepper in the crockpot. I did not have ground red pepper, so I substituted with red pepper flakes.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  I always prefer to cook on low, it seems to cook better.

Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Heat the skillet on medium high heat.  Add 6 ounces of smoked sausage.  Cook 8 minutes, allowing the sausage to get brown.  Drain the fat and add the sausage to the skillet.

Add 1 cup of chopped tomato, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes on high.  It says to sprinkle with cilantro but I forgot and it tasted fine.  It is only 150 calories and makes 9 servings!

I was not feeling well when the soup was done, so I am really not the best judge.  Hess loved the smoked sausage pieces, even ate most of the pieces out of mine as well!  The hubby said it was delicious.  I had it as leftovers for lunch today and I think the taste got even better.  I definitely recommend making it if you are looking for an easy soup on a cold day!!