Sausage and white bean soup

Ingredients

• 2 15oz cans of white beans
• 1lb ground pork sausage
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 chopped onion
• parmesan cheese
• kale

  Instructions

• Brown the sausage in a cast iron skillet, move the sausage into a bowl, but keep the fat in the pan
• Turn the heat on the skillet down to medium low. Place the carrots in skillet and cover it on top. Cool low and slow stirring occasionally. Chop the other veggies while you do this.
• In a separate large pot, heat the olive oil. And salt and onions. Cook the onions until softened, 5-7 minutes
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds
• Turn off the heat for the carrots. Transfer them to the large pot. Add the celery and cook for another 7 minutes.
• Add sausage and thyme, cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add broth and water, bring to a boil and then turn to low for a simmer
• Drain both cans of beans. Take 3/4 cup of beans and smash them with a fork into a creamy paste. Add all beans to the pot.
• Add bay leaves to the pot
• Simmer all ingredients for at least 30 minutes
• Add the kale, cook until wilted
• Add parmesan serve