1 pound sausage, such as Italian sausage, kielbasa, or bratwurst
1/2 c water (if using fresh sausage)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 small bell peppers (I use red and sometimes throw in a chile pepper too), cut into strips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15-ounce can white beans (I usually use cannellini, but great northern would be good too), rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can red beans (I usually use kidney beans, but sometimes pinto)
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 c dry red wine
S&P to taste
Brown the sausage in a skillet. If using fresh sausage, add the water, cover and cook until cooked through. Slice and set aside.
Warm the oil in the skillet and add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook until tender. Put in slow cooker and add sausage, beans, tomatoes and their juice, and wine. Cover. I then refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, pop into the base and cook on Low for 6-8 hours. (This is where the Keep Warm setting comes in really handy!)
Near serving time you can cook with the lid off to thicken if desired. (I never bother.) Season with S&P and serve.
I serve this with bread or rolls and a tossed salad.
(From "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Hensperger and Kaufmann.)