Red Beans And Rice With Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry kidney beans
• 2 lbs smoked sausage (more or less) cut into circles
• One large yellow, or white onion, minced
• One large bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• Celery (to taste)
• 5 cloves of garlic minced (more or less)
• 1/2 lb bacon (more or less) I cut the strips in half
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Cajun seasoning of your choice to taste (I used Louisiana Fish Fry seasoning mix)
• Oil
• Water to cover beans, and to continue cooking with
  

Directions:

1. This is my quick cook method for beans. You may want to soak yours overnight
2. Rinse and pick over beans. Place beans in a large pot, cover with water. (I added at least a inch above beans)
3. Bring to a boil for around a minute or so. Turn beans off, cover and let set for about an hour. Bring beans back to a boil, lower heat.
4. Continue cooking, adding water as needed.
5. In the meantime, sauté onion, bell peppers and garlic in oil until soft. (Some people cook the sausage and veggies at the same time, but I have trouble with sticking.) Set aside the veggies.
6. Cook sausage over medium heat in the same pan until browned. Drain grease.
7. Add smoked sausage, veggies, bacon and seasonings to taste to the beans. (I don't cook my bacon first, although some people do.)
8. Continue cooking until beans are soft.
9. Take some of the beans and mash them, (against the inside of the pan is fine) This will make the bean soup thicken up.
10. Let it all cook down until it's the thickness you want. Taste for seasoning.
11. Serve over white rice, and enjoy!