Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bag of Red Beans
• 2-3 lbs. smoked sausage
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion - Diced
• 1 Bell Pepper or 2-3 Stalks of Celery - Diced (if desired)
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 4 Cups of water
• 1 tsp Cumin
• Salt and Pepper to taste (about a teaspoon each to start)
• Cajun seasoning - such as Tony's

Directions

1. Chop sausage into bite sized pieces and brown in a skillet. Let cool slightly.
2. Put the beans and brown sausage plus any drippings into a large bowl or pot that you can cover. add the chicken stock and enough water (about 4 cups) that there's twice as much liquid as solids. Let this soak overnight (at least 8 hours).
3. The next day - Chop Onion and Bell Pepper/Celery (if desired) and Saute in a large pot in the oil.
4. Add the beans and sausage and all of the liquid from that bowl to the pot. Add more water if needed to cover everything. Add the Bay Leaves, Salt, Pepper, and Cumin.
5. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium heat and cook covered for 4-8 hours, stirring occasionally until desired texture is reached. Generally until the mixture is creamy and the beans are starting to fall apart.
6. Separately make white rice and serve the bean mixture over the rice, mixing together and adding Cajun seasoning if desired.