Red Beans and Rice

We eat Red Beans and Rice (RBR, as it appears on my weekly Post-It Note menu) quite often. Usually it comes from this box, which I will say unashamedly is delicious. I can claim to know, since my Mom is pure, 100% Louisianan. Sunday, I decided to make real Red Beans. I don't know... I guess I had extra time on my hands. ;)

This recipe is mostly my Mom's, with 1 or 2 ingredients from the back of the bag of Red Beans. My husband said it was delicious.

1 pound bag dry red beans (pick out the bad ones while they're dry)
6-8 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper
3/4 TBSP salt
1 TBSP Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
1 pound smoked sausage*, sliced, or a ham bone, or just ham

*you could use spicy sausage or andouille, but I'd omit the Cayenne pepper in that case.

If you don't remember to soak the beans overnight, then place them in a big pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Let them boil 2-3 minutes, turn the heat off and remove them from the burner. Let them sit, covered, for an hour or so. Drain.

Place soaked beans in crock pot and add 4-6 cups (new) water. Add other ingredients and stir. Cook on low 10-12 hours or on high at least 6 hours. (Or, bring to boil and simmer on the stove for 2 - 2.5 hours.) Add sausage or other meat whenever you like. An hour or so before cooking time is finished, take about 1 cup of beans out, and puree in the food processor. Add them back in. This is to make the mixture creamier.

(I added my sausage before the last 2 hours but here's a note: bring it to room temperature first. Otherwise you will be worried that you've just cooled the temperature of the beans so much that they will never fully cook. Ack! As it turns out they were the perfect consistency, right on time!)

Serve over white rice, obvs.

Sure hope my friends will post their easy weeknight recipes today, too! Happy Tuesday!