slow cooker kielbasa, cabbage and potato soup

Name: slow cooker kielbasa, cabbage and potato soup
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 12 cups
Ingredients: 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth; 2 cups water; 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary; ¼ teaspoon anise seed; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground pepper; 1 small onion, diced; 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans or white beans, drained and rinsed; 12-ounces small potatoes, cut in half; 7 ounces kielbasa, cut into half moons; 2 cups chopped cabbage; 1 cup shredded cheese such as Gruyere, Swiss or Cabot Alpine Cheddar; 1 cup croutons, optional (gluten-free if desired)

Jump To Recipe January 9, 2015 // 13 Comments »

A hearty slow cooker soup with potato, white beans and cabbage that simmers all day and fills the house with warmth and the smell of smoky kielbasa, anise seed and rosemary. The best way to warm up during the coldest part of the winter.

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The sound of an armload of fire wood falling into the woodbox, the roar of the plow trucks trundling up the frozen dirt road, the squeak of the snow under our boots as we head to the end of the driveway for the bus, the rumble of the electric kettle coming up to a boil and then clicking off, these are the sounds of and early morning in the dead of a Vermont winter.

These were the sounds of my house this morning.

And then there is the stillness once they are all gone for the day. It is almost deafening. The gentle ticking of the wood burning stove as it cranks up to temperature. The gentle hum of my laptop as I sit down at my desk still wearing my down jacket. My nose is like an icicle.

It is days like this when, if you let it, the cold will seep inside and chill you to the core. You just wont be able to shake it.

This mean soup today. More specifically, one that I can start in the morning, and I can enjoy all day. I plug in the slow cooker, and wait for the condensation to collect inside the lid. The heavenly smell of the smoky kielbasa simmering with the rosemary and anise seed fills the house and begins the thawing process.

When they all return home this evening, I’ll ladle it into bowls, top them with croutons and shredded cheese. This is the soup that will get us through these short days, and cold winter nights.

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Back to Basics

Packing your own lunch saves money and calories. Soup is a healthy and filling lunch. This soup gives you 4 grams of fiber , 11 grams of fat and 17 grams of protein to help you stay satisfied and full longer. This soup recipe makes 12 cups, which should give you some lovely left-overs.[/box]

QUESTIONS:

What are the sounds of winter like in your house?

Do you use your slow cooker if you are home all day?

If you work outside the home, do you bring your own lunch?

Don’t miss this Ultimate Guide to Cabbage!