White Bean Sausage Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup dried white bean, cooked (or about 2 cups canned white beans)
2 cups carrots, cut in small bite-sized pieces
1 cup celery, cut in small cross-wise pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled, mashed and cut into very fine pieces
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth (1 14 oz. can will do)
2 bay leaves
1 lb sausage, cooked, crumbled and well drained (or the equivalent amount of ham or turkey, cooked if need be, and cut into bite sized pieces)
2 cups milk or 2 cups half-and-half cream
3 -4 cups kale (don't use the stems) or 3 -4 cups bok choy, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces (don't use the stems)

Preparation

Mix all ingredients except the milk and the greens in a large heavy pan or crock pot.
Cook on low for about six hours or on high for four hours. If cooking on the stove top, bring to a boil and then simmer until carrots and celery are tender.
Add the milk or half-n-half and heat until soup is good and hot again.
Stir in the greens and heat just until the greens become limp but are still brightly colored.