What can I say besides – YAHOOOO!  Down 2.2 this week.  It was a great week despite the back issues & now this head cold/sinus infection thingy…  Saturday was my 5k, first since last year’s bad run that left me miserable.  I PR’d the race completing it at 34.35, which norm for me is 36+, so I’m beyond excited!  I also ran 98% of it, which is something I never did before either.  But – more on that in another post!  I want to get the race pics first!

Now…onto the yummilicious recipe review!

Have I mentioned before how much I love Kalyn’s Kitchen?  Oh, yes, I did… I happen to remember this – Stuffed Cabbage Casserole and how can I forget this – my favorite – Kale & Sausage Casserole

Well, this is very similar and couldn’t be any easier to make!  I only made a very slight change & that was to use hot Italian chicken sausage – and that’s just because I always have it on hand.  I also used 6 instead of 5 because it comes 6 in a package & well…I just could leave one little guy out. 

I know – what are you waiting for…here’s the recipe!!!

Slow Cooker Cannellini Bean Stew with Tomatoes, Italian Sausage, and Kale

(Very slightly adapted Kalyn’s Kitchen’s awesome recipe!)

Any changes I made are in red.

Ingredients:

5 links (19.5 oz.) hot turkey Italian sausage  As I mentioned above, I used 6 hot Italian chicken sausage links.
2 tsp. olive oil  I omitted this & just used PAM olive oil spray, worked out fine.
2 cans (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
2 cans (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained
2 T minced garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground fennel (or more, I love fennel in recipes like this) (I’m with Kalyn, big fennel fan in dishes like this!)  I used fennel seeds because that’s what I have on hand.
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
4 cups chopped kale leaves
freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)  (There’s no optional about this – it’s a must!  Totally enhances the flavors!  YUMMO!)  Also, I used Pecorino Romano – again – always on hand!

Directions:

Spray pan with PAM olive oil spray.  Add sausage, turning often to brown all sides – approx 10 mins.  Remove sausage & let it cool.

Rinse beans in colander well to remove excess salt & let drain.

Cut up cooled sausage into 1 inch pieces & add to slow cooker.  At this time you can also add drained beans, tomatoes with juice, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, fennel & chicken stock into the slow cooker, stir gently.

Cook on high for 2.5 hours or 5 hours low.

While the stew is cooking in the slow cooker, chop the kale being sure to remove the hard think stems.  After the 2.5 hours on high or 5 hours on low, add kale, stirring gently into the stew.  Continue cooking an additional 45 mins on high or 1.5 hours on low.

Serve with grated cheese….

…and watch out because this is FANTASTIC!!!!!

Both Rich & I went back for seconds…ok…thirds!!!  It was that good!  I even made a double batch so I can have for the week at lunch for work.

Kalyn says it freezes well, which I won’t know because it’s going to be gone soon.  I may just have to make a few more batches to have on hand when the craving strikes us!