Slice cabbage, onions, carrots.

Sautee onions in leftover bacon drippings. (for those watching your fat intake - put them straight in the pot. otherwise you can saute them in fat or butter - until wilted down - which sweetens the onions and cabbage beautifully.)

Put above in pot. (or crockpot)

Add cocktail juice (i like Allan's - its sweeter than V8 brand - this is the way to get all those vegetables in that you and the kids dont like :) ) and tomatoes (i use the ones w/ basil and garlic to save a step). to cover all (if needed).

Cook for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally -- until the the cabbage and such wilt down. (the crockpot is pretty full - i add things as i have room). Dice & Add potatoes.

Add sausage whole or sliced to soup and cook for another 20 minutes before serving. (Optionally you can cook the sausage on a baking sheet in the oven - 350 for around 20-25 min - then slice up -- for choking safety w/ kids slice lengthwise then cut up (making half circles).

Or slow cook in crock pot (i preferr this) all day on low... (i sometimes put it in the fridge and continue cooking few more hours on low the next day -- for the next days dinner).

I use LOTS of pepper since this is supposed to be a PEPPERY winter warming, sinus clearing soup.

Serve with buttered bread or crescent rolls and sour cream dolluped on top (remove sour cream for low cal version.)

Tastes better each time you reheat it (which for us two is about 4-5 meals :))