Red Beans & Rice

One of the greatest feelings in life is walking in the door after a long day at work and knowing that dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. I'm not talking a sandwich or leftovers from the night before, I'm talking a slow-simmered, all day long cooking meal. Man, I love my Crock-pot. Especially when it is loaded down with red beans that have been simmering with smoked sausage and a ham hock.

Although it is great to walk in the house to a dish like this, it does take a little planning ahead to pull it off. The night before requires taking the time to sort through the beans and covering them with water to soak. Not a difficult task, but a necessary one. Since your already in the kitchen, this is the perfect time to prepare the rest of the ingredients. No one (I don't care who you are) wants to chop and saute vegetables before having their first cup of coffee.

By doing all the prep work the night before, morning prep is as easy as dumping everything in the Crock-pot, turning it on, and staggering to the other side of the kitchen to pour that first cup of joe. By the time you get home, all that is left to do is cook some rice and settle down for a nice bowl of Cajun comfort food. Now if I can just find the hot sauce!!

Red Beans & Rice

1 lb dry red beans

2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil

2/3 cup celery, diced small

2/3 cup red bell pepper, diced small

1 cup onion, diced small

1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 ham hock (about 1/2 lb)

4 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

3 cups white rice, cooked

Pick through beans, removing any broken beans and other debris. Rinse well. Cover beans with water to a depth of at least two inches above the beans. Let soak overnight.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Saute celery, red pepper, and onion for 3-4 minutes. Add smoked sausage and saute 4-5 minutes, or until lightly browned. If preparing the night before, set aside to cool and then refrigerate at this point.




Transfer all ingredients to Crock-pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans are tender. Serve topped with rice and Louisiana hot sauce.