Cannellini with Sausage

INGREDIENTS

1          tablespoon olive oil

2          Italian sausages, sliced (about 1 ½ cups)*

1          medium white onion, chopped (1 cup)

3          cloves garlic, minced

1          can (15 ounces) diced  tomatoes

1          teaspoon dried thyme

1          teaspoon dried basil

1          cup beef broth

1          can Cannellini beans (15 ounces)

METHOD
In a medium skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat and brown the sausage slices. Remove and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes and add the sausage pieces, tomatoes, thyme, basil, and beef broth.

Increase heat to bring this to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the beans, stirring them in. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the beans are warmed, remove from the heat and serve.

TO START WITH DRY BEANS
Use ½ pound of dry beans. Pick through them to remove any rocks and bad beans and rinse. Cover with 4 cups of water in a large sauce pan, cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and add at the same place in the recipe along with 1 cup of water, but extend final cooking time until beans are tender, 45 to 50 minutes or longer. Check fluid level occasionally and add ½ cup of water if needed.

SLOW COOKER RECIPE
Prepare as above with dry beans and place everything into a slow cooker for the final cooking time. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 10 hours. Neither of the dry bean options have been tested in my kitchen, but I have them both “on good authority“ from the internet.

*NOTE: You can use almost any style of sausage for this recipe.