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

Ingredients

• 5 links hot turkey or pork Italian sausage
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 cans petite dice tomatoes with juice
• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained
• 2 T minced garlic
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground fennel
• 1 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 4 cups chopped kale leaves
• Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Warm the oil in a large, sturdy skillet. Add the sausages and brown them for 10 minutes, turning them frequently so they pick up good color all over. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board and let them cool.
2. As the sausages brown, pour the two cans of cannellini beans into a colander set in the sink. Rinse them under cold water until the foamy liquid is gone, then leave them to drain thoroughly.
3. When the sausages are cool enough to work with, cut them into rounds about 1 inch thick.
4. Add the sausage slices to the slow cooker, along with the well-drained beans. Pour in the tomatoes and their juices, then add the garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, ground fennel, and chicken stock. Stir everything together carefully.
5. Cook the stew for about 2 1/2 hours on high, or 5 hours on low.
6. While that happens, prepare the kale by chopping the leaves and removing any tough center ribs. If the kale came from the garden, wash it in a salad spinner.
7. Once the stew has cooked for 2 1/2 hours on high, or 5 hours on low, fold in the kale gently.
8. Cook for about 45 minutes more on high, or 1 1/2 hours on low.
9. Serve the stew hot, finished with Parmesan cheese if you’d like.