Confederate Bean Soup

This recipe is from one of the Paula Deen cookbooks. I had to try it because it seemed like a strange combination of ingredients. It is a delicious, hearty soup perfect for a chilly night.

2 T butter

½ lb Hillshire Farms smoked sausage, sliced in ¼ inch thick rounds

2 slices bacon, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

½ green bell pepper, diced (optional)

2 C leftover baked beans or 16 oz Bush’s canned baked beans

1 ½ C half-and-half

Saute sausage, bacon, garlic, onion, and green pepper in butter until bacon is cooked. Add beans and simmer for a few minutes over medium to low heat. Add half-and-half. Increase or decrease half-and-half for preferred thickness. Serve with hot cornbread.

Serves 3 or 4