Family February Favorites

and we are starting with Red Beans and Rice

As promised, I’m taking a break from cooking through the alphabet.

I mean, we only have 10 letters left, so a little break is perfectly fine!

I mean, it’s only taken a year to cook all the way through, so what’s a few more weeks?

What in the world?

So let’s take a few weeks off and do some really fun stuff.

Every Wednesday this month I’m going to bring you some great meals that are tried and true family favorites.

Because who wouldn’t want a good Red Beans and Rice recipe?

I mean, have you had my Red Beans and Rice?

I got to thinking about the origin of this recipe and it goes way way back for me.

Like way back…to the days of the Pilgrims.

I worked with this lovely lady, Mrs. Shirley Watts, who is now in heaven, but man could she cook.

And she made this recipe for something we had at work and then shared her recipe.

Like a good cook does.

Let’s see…that was in 1988.

Wait.

Yes, I was alive in 1988 for those of you wondering…I know that was a long time ago.

So, the truth is I have been making this recipe for almost 35 years!

What in the world?

But hey, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Right?

My best friend Sam considers this the quintessential Red Beans and Rice recipe and one of his favorite things I cook.

Wait.

Everything I cook is his favorite.

Because he has to live with Linda Lou…who used to be a good cook.

It’s true…she was a great cook actually…and still makes a pretty mean pizza.

But when you stop cooking, you lose your touch.

So now, when she does cook something for him, I get texts with messages like “SOS, Linda Lou tried to make beef stew and I’m choking.”

I hope she doesn’t read this blog post because she’s going to think we are picking on her.

Which we are, because she’s fun to pick on.

But she does make my Red Beans and Rice for him periodically…and he doesn’t choke.

But it’s my sister-in-law, Sherra’s, favorite too, because it’s gluten-free.

Hey…you know I’m a problem solver.

Now, this recipe has a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that deter you.

And don’t leave any of them out…repeat…don’t leave any of them out.

Because it’s the combination of all these spices that give this dish its earthy, warm, yummy flavor.

Also, it’s one of those things that once you buy the dry ingredients, you always have them.

Because who besides me uses dried basil every week?

So here’s where we are going to start…with a two pound bag of red kidney beans.

And here’s a helpful hint from the Alphabet Mom…we are going to pre-cook them…not just soak, but cook.

I know you can soak them overnight…I get it and I’ve done it that way, trust me, after nearly 35 years of making these, I have tried every tweak to this recipe.

Scott, my husband and resident cooking philosopher, says when you pre-cook the beans, that you “cook all the f (rhymes with tart) out of them.”

But he’s also a redneck so ignore his crass and just cover your beans with water and cook until they are slightly tender.

For all you non-cooks that simply means that you taste a bean and if it’s tender, they are ready.

Easy.

While your beans are cooking, I need you to dice 2-3 medium sized yellow onions, 2 green bell peppers and a stalk of celery.

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• 

• 

As we know, this is considered the Holy Trinity in cooking!

Next, drain the beans in a colander and put them back in the original pot.

Don’t you just love a dish you can make in only one pot?

Like I said, I’m a problem solver.

Now comes the part you aren’t going to believe…we are simply going to add the ingredients to the “one” bean pot, cover in water and cook!

So to your beans, dump the chopped veggies right on top.

Next add 2 tablespoons of Seasoned Salt, 4 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce, 2 large cans of diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons sweet dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 5 Bay leaves, 2 teaspoons of black pepper and 1 tablespoon of salt.

Wait.

That was a long paragraph…and I am totally out of breath.

Literally readers, you just dump all the ingredients on top of the cooked beans and cover with cold water.

Bring this mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to medium to low and simmer for several hours to get all the flavors really married.

I have actually whipped this up before and served it right away, but the simmering really does allow all the seasonings to become really acquainted with each other

Like they are the best of friends…or something like that.

The last part is adding the sausage and I use 3 packages of Conecuh sausage, sliced thin.

Just add the sausage to the pot for 30 minutes to an hour before you are ready to serve.

But if you like a lot of sausage, you can add more or less.

Some people I know use NO sausage and just eat the beans over rice.

Who am I to judge your dietary choices?

I’m the person who just ate 3 slices of Gina Edmondson’s King Cake she sent me.

Whatever way you decide to serve it up, trust me when I say, you will never cook your Red Beans and Rice another way.

And so that you know, I DOUBLE this recipe to make it for my family and friends and it makes a lot!

Enjoy this southern delicacy my loyal readers (probably just my mom and Decie Lewis) and let me know what you think once you try it!