sweet potato and sausage soup

Or better yet, let's call this post "clean out your cupboard".
I asked on facebook if you wanted a few of my quick & easy dinner fixes (nothing fancy).  I knew a few of you would say yes because I'm sure you're just like me, and want to use up stuff sitting in your cupboards, freezer, fridge, etc...
Anyone can throw together a quick and tasty soup.  If you look in your fridge and your cupboards I'm willing to bet you have the right ingredients for a quick and tasty soup.
That is how this sweet potato and kielbasa soup came about.
I made it on one of those winter days where the temperature outside didn't get above 30 degrees.
You can imagine how excited I was to go home to this hot and hearty soup stewing happily away in the crockpot.
Next time you go to Trader Joe's stock up on this sweet potato bisque--I'm telling you it's the perfect vehicle for soup add in's, AND the best way to use up leftovers in your fridge.
Nothing fancy, but it sure is satisfying.

You don't have to follow this exactly, you can create your own ad in's.
I just want to try and show you that it's quite easy to get creative in the kitchen even when it comes to leftovers.

And soup is the perfect vehicle to use up leftover veggies, leftover take out, and if you want to get your kids to eat more veggies.

I gave the veggies and sausage a quick stir fry/browning before going in the crockpot--you don't have too.
You can just throw them in there.
But I love a browning on my sausage.


Man was this tasty.
I know I already said this, but stock up on that sweet potato bisque from Trader Joe's.
It is so good!

sweet potato & sausage soup
print recipe

1-2 boxes of Trader Joe's sweet potato bisque
12 ounces (more or less) of cooked kielbasa, chopped
1 jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
1 medium sweet onions
1/2 - 3/4 cup diced drained tomatoes or leftover plain salsa
dashes of hot sauce
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

cook notes:
the beauty of this recipe is that you don't have to follow it to a tee.
you can add in or take out what you don't like.
I just want to show you how easy it is to get creative with leftovers.

I gave the veggies, onions and chopped sausage a quick stir fry to get them all browned.
Then put them in a crockpot with a bit of olive oil. Got those heated through.
Then added in the sweet potato bisque, some chopped or diced tomatoes, and the chopped
red peppers.
Heat on low for a few or couple hours.
Taste test to see if you want to add hot sauce and salt & pepper.
Feel free to add in anything else like: leftover rice/pasta, leftover veggies, kale, corn, etc...(endless list).
Use hamburg or ham or shrimp if you don't like sausage.
I left this in the crockpot for about 5 hours on low, and it was fine.
I would NOT use the high setting for this.