Pinto Bean and Sausage Soup

This soup comes from "Is it Soup Yet?" It is by Dot Vartan. It is a winner.  We added a whole pound of the smoked sausage 








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Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans (you could certainly use canned pinto beans)
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (13.75oz.) cans beef broth
2 cups tomato juice
3 turnips, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into thin slices and then diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
If using dried pinto beans, place them in a bowl and cover with water to soak overnight.  The next day, drain the pinto beans and set aside.
Melt the butter in a 6 quart stock pot. Add the onions and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the beef broth, tomato juice and pinto beans. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes. Add the turnips, carrots, oregano and pepper. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Add the sausage and parsley, Cook for 5 minutes until the sausage is heated through.
Sherry's note: I sauted the onions and celery, added the garlic, then added everything except turnips, carrots oregano, pepper, parsley and sausage to the crock pot.  I cooked this on low for about 4 hours. Then I added the other ingredients except the parsley and warmed until we were ready to eat.  I added the parsley to the serving bowls.