The best crockpot recipes can save you loads of time. In our house we are always running!  Between tutors, music lessons and Scouts it has always been a challenge to get everything ready and hot when the family is ready to sit down and eat together. This is probably why I started crockpot cooking in the first place.

Back the the recipe :)

This is a great easy soup recipe for a quick dinner but it is also great for a pot luck. You might want to add or delete from the recipe depending on your family’s taste. This recipe freezes GREAT and that is good news for those (like me) who love to freezer cook!  It is always helpful to have this on hand for those nights when you don't have time to cook.



Total Cooktime: 5 hours

What you will need:

• 1 package 16 Bean Soup (any bean soup mixture will do)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon crushed oregano
• 2 cans no-fat chicken stock
• Additional water to cover
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 3 carrots diced
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 pound turkey Italian sausage sliced
• 2 cans stewed (or diced) tomatoes

Put together the first 5 ingredients ınside your crockpot. The liquid ought to cover the mixture by about 1"-2". Cook on high for 2 hours.

Add the remaining ingredients and set your slow cooker to low. Cook for additional 3 hours.

If your family is like mine and you prefer more of a kick to your meals, add cayenne or crushed red pepper when adding second set of ingredients.

Serve as complete meal or over rice or noodles.

Just to clear something up that someone e-mailed me about. The 16 bean soup mixture can be found in the dried bean section of your grocery store. If your store does not carry it - no worries. Just get any multi-bean mix and you should be good to go!

Family Verdict:  This was definitely a hit in my house!  Not only did my husband enjoy it, but surprisingly enough the kids did too and THAT is a huge feat in itself. We served it over brown rice and I have to say it was filling and bursting full of flavor. The only drawback was that my son Jackson didn't care for some of the beans that were included in the 16 bean mix. But he is only 4 so I didn't expect him to rave over it!