It’s winter, it’s cold, it’s finally raining … brrrr..

On Sunday I am going to a Soup Swap at a food blogger’s house in Santa Cruz. You bring 6 quarts of frozen soup and the recipe to swap with others.  So I’ve been thinking a lot about soups and we also just got a huge chest freezer that we need to fill up.  Soup is the best thing to freeze and eat on weeknights.  This soup is hearty and healthy.  We served it with varied toasted bread slices topped with cheese, spinach, and tomato, broiled to deliciousness.

John’s Sweet Potato and Greens Soup Recipe

• 1 c. canned pinto beans (or white beans)
• 2 qt. chicken broth (or veg. broth)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 large celery stalks (optional)
• 2 cups chopped greens or kale (any, or mixed) cooked to soft with olive oil/lard but don’t brown
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, and cubed in big chunks
• 1/2 to 1 lb. Polish sausage, sliced 1/4″ (or any sausage you have in the freezer)
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Cook the greens in olive oil or lard in a saute pan first, until soft (don’t brown). Combine beans, chicken broth and bay leaves. Simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours until beans are soft. Remove bay leaves when beans are cooked.

Saute the celery (if using), garlic, onion, bell pepper in oil until onion is translucent.  Add sauted veggies to beans and simmer for 15 minutes. Then add the sweet potatoes and sausage.  Simmer 10-20 minutes or until the potatoes are barely tender. Stir in the thyme, red pepper, and pepper; simmer 10 minutes.