Spicy Bean Soup

Fall is here in Wisconsin in earnest so I decided to make a pot of bean soup. Every winter we eat a lot of bean soup...it is filling, healthy and, best of all, everyone likes it! I had received some kale in the box this week, so I decided I would incorporate it into the soup.  Here's what I did...

11/2 c dried, mixed beans(mine had kidney, black eyed peas, black beans, great northern and some split peas)
2 yellow onions, chopped
1/2 medium jalepeno pepper, finely chopped
1 bulb garlic cloves
1 lb sausage, cooked ( I used turkey andouille, nice and spicy)
1 smoked ham hock or other ham bone
1 bunch kale chopped or torn into small pieces
11/2 c chopped celery
8 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Rinse beans and place in a pot with water so water is 2 inches above the level of the beans. Bring beans to a boil, boil 1 minute and then remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain Beans.

While Beans are cooking, place garlic bulb in foil and roast for 1 hour at 400°F. Remove roasted garlic "meat" from bulb and mash.

Sauté onions and peppers in 1-2 T olive oil until they are almost caramelized. Add Celery and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add roasted garlic and cook another minute or 2.

Add beans, broth, ham bone, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about an hour. Remove bay leaf and ham bone. Strip bone of any meat and return meat to the pot. Add chopped sausage and kale, cook for 10 minutes or until kale is wilted. Serve with a dollop of sour cream...yum!