Polish Sausage and Cabbage Soup in Crock Pot

this Recipe is from southernfood.about.com

PoliSH sausage and cabbage soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 to 1 1/2 pound red-skinned or round white potatoes
• 4 to 6 strips bacon, diced, optional
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds Polish sausage (kielbasa)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium cabbage, shredded or chopped
• 1 quart chicken stock, low sodium or unsalted
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 440 minutes

PREPARATION

Dice the potatoes — peeled or not — into 1/2-inch cubes. Put the potatoes in the slow cooker.

Dice the sausage into 1/2-inch cubes. 

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon, if using, and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels and then add to the slow cooker.

Wipe the skillet out and place it over medium-high heat. Add the diced sausage and onion. Cook while frequently stirring until the sausage and onions have browned.

Add the chicken stock to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes and caraway seeds if using. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet along with the cabbage and place it back over medium-high heat. Cook while frequently stirring until the cabbage begins to brown. Transfer to the slow cooker. Drain well and transfer to the slow cooker with the potatoes.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours.

Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.

Serve the soup with crusty bread.

Thanks to Kim in Australia for sharing this recipe originally.

Two of my most favorite foods are Polish Sausage and cabbage.  I love recipes that are easy to prepare and have not problem waiting for the crock pot to do its magic.  The aroma is what kills me.  It is hard to wait to dig in!  I do think the bacon adds a lot but I use precooked so the microwave comes into play.  Just place it between a couple sheets of paper towel and cook according to directions on the package.  Crumble the crispy bacon and add to pot.  Does't get any easier.  Don't skip the caramelizing of the cabbage, sausage and onion as this adds a ton of flavor to what might otherwise be a bland dish.  Not everyone can handle a lot of tomatoes so these are optional.  If you are a tomato lover fresh diced might be nice.  Some garlic bread done in the toaster oven would be a great side for this soup (unless you have digestive issues.)  Combining bread and potatoes is hard to digest.  Just saying.