Easy Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

This is a great recipe from “Conecuh Sausage", whose ads run in Southern magazines like “Taste of the South” and “Southern Living”.  You can use pints of your own home canned beans or tomatoes, or use 2 cups of cooked beans for each pint called for.  I have used Andouille sausage for an authentic taste, and smoked brats when that was all I had on hand…good too.  It’s actually perfectly good without any sausage at all; it’s then a great quick pantry meal.  I always have the ingredients for “the Trinity”, celery, onion and green peppers on hand.  I freeze garden peppers already chopped for recipes like this all winter long.

 In less than half an hour you have a filling, tasty meal that doesn’t require heating the oven.  We usually serve it with a chopped salad and fruit for dessert.

Easy Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

  3        Tablespoons  Oil -- divided

  1        Pound  Smoked Sausage -- sliced 1/2" thick

     ½    Cup  Onion -- chopped

     ½    Cup  Celery -- chopped

     ½    Cup  Green Pepper -- chopped

  2        Teaspoons  Garlic -- minced

  15      Ounces  Kidney Beans, Canned -- dark red

  15      Ounces  Kidney Beans, Canned -- light red

  15      Ounces  Canned Tomatoes -- diced, undrained

  2 ½    Teaspoons  Creole or Cajun Seasoning

  1        Teaspoon  Thyme -- or 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped

  2        Teaspoons  Paprika

                        For Cooked Rice

  1 ½    Cups  Rice -- uncooked

  3        Cups  Water

Prepare rice according to package directions.  While rice is cooking, prepare sausage-bean mixture.  Keep rice warm until served.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat.  Add sausage; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.  Remove from pan using slotted spoon.

Add remaining oil, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic to pan.  Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add beans, sausage, tomato and seasonings; simmer 10 minutes.  Serve with rice.

8 Servings