White bean soup with sausage

1 pkg, 1 lb white beans ( any variety of choice )
12 cups water or beef or chicken stock
3 large carrots
1 large onion
1/4 bunch of celery
1 large green or red bell pepper
several large garlic cloves
salt, pepper, dry marjoram to taste
1 lb. sausage ( sweet or hot ) casings removed
Variations: some chopped kale or spinach ( optional ) or small cooked pasta

A nice cold weather soup. If you diet doesn't restrict it add some beef marrow bones to the soup for extra flavor. I remember my mother used to make the best bean and vegetable soups using beef marrow bones!
Soak beans covered water overnight. Next day drain and rinse. Place beans in stock pot and cover with 12 cups water or stock of choice. Add cubed or diced vegetables and garlic. Bring to a boil and cover and simmer until vegetables and beans are tender. Cook sausage in a pan with a little water until meat is no longer pink. Crumble or break up with a fork. Drain any fat . I use turkey sausage and there is little fat and nothing to drain. Add crumbled sausage to soup pot and cook and simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste. Garnish soup if desired with fried bread croutons and/or fresh chopped parsley. Makes enough soup for 12 servings. Freezes well so I use 1/2 and freeze the remainder.
Variations: add some cooked small pasta to the soup or some chopped fresh chopped kale or spinach if you wish