Bean and Kale Soup

1 pound hot or mild italian sausage (removed from casings)
1 onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
6 large carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 boxes low-sodium chicken broth
7 stems kale or swiss chard, cut off stems and chopped
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 potato, peeled - left whole
salt, pepper to taste
1/4 tsp oregano
red pepper flakes to taste, optional
bay leaf
1 cup small pasta, cooked
parmesan cheese, grated

Saute the sausage in a large pot in a little olive oil until browned. Add onion, celery, carrots, and saute about 5 minutes. Add garlic saute for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth, kale, beans, the whole potato and seasonings. Cook for 1 and a 1/2 hours. Take the potato out of the soup and mash with a fork (mash some of the beans too) this will thicken the soup.

Add some of the small cooked pasta to an individual soup bowl and pour ladle of soup over the pasta. ( This way your leftover pot of soup won't have mushy pasta floating in it if you keep it separate from the soup, or if you freeze the soup for later.) Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top, and serve with a piece of crusty bread.