Quick Easy Scannellini Bean Soup

I saw some good recipes in a cook magazine at my sister-in-law's house the other day. I borrowed her magazine and tried them. This is one of the recipes I tried. I altered the recipe a little bit because I didn't find raw sweet Italian sausage in the store I went to. Nevertheless, the soup is delicious!

Ingredients:

- 3 links sweet Italian sausage (1 1/4 pounds), cut into cubes. The recipe says raw sausage but I didn't find it in Fred Meyer so I bought the fully cooked sweet Italian sausage. For that reason I added some bacon to add flavor.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 pieces of thick lean pepper bacon, chopped to smaller pieces
- 1 bundle of head broccoli rabe, chopped to 2-3 inches. Broccoli rabe is not broccoli but you should be able to find it in a grocery store vegetable section.
- Chicken broth, 8 cups. That's 4 cans or 2 catoons. As you can, it's organic chicken broth that I bought.
- Two 15.5-ounce can scannellini beans, rinsed. scannellini beans are the same as white kidney beans. Next time I think I will try raw beans instead but then it won't live up to its name as being quick because cooking raw beans requires a much longer time.

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook the sausage, breaking it up, over medium-high heat until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the bacon bits, transfer to the same plate. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, add the onion to the saucepan and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli rabe and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes. Transfer the sausage and bacon to the saucepan. Stir and cook until heated through, about 2 minutess, season with salt and papper.