Sausage and Root Vegetable Stew

½ small (about 10 ounces) rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 medium parsnips, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

1 stalk celery, sliced

Black pepper

½ cup dry white wine

6 sprigs thyme

8 small (about 1 ½ pounds) sweet Italian sausages, halved crosswise

1 can (15-ounce) pink beans, rinsed

Preparation:

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the rutabaga, garlic, parsnips, onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the wine. Using kitchen twine, tie the thyme sprigs together. Nestle the thyme and sausages into the vegetable mixture and cook until the vegetables are tender and the sausages are cooked through, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high. Five minutes before serving, remove the thyme, gently fold the beans into the sausage and vegetable mixture and cook, covered, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serves: 4.