HEARTY GARBANZO BEAN SOUP Recipe

Slice up sausage (if you are not using ground sausage). Heat oil on medium high in heavy skillet. Add sausage and cook thoroughly. If you are using smoked sausage or kielbasa you will want it slightly blackened. Remove the sausage. Turn heat down to medium low and cook onions and garlic in the same pan until they are lightly browned. Add enough of the broth to the pan to cover everything and set it aside to cool. In a large saucepan, pour in the remaining broth and add the bay leaf, sugar, and pepper. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Add the sausage, chick peas, sun dried tomatoes, and the broth/onion/garlic mixture. Be sure to scrape the frying pan to get all of the cooked bits into the stock -- they add lots of flavor. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.