Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Rice is something my family has grown to love. This from a wife and daughter who often say, "I hate beans", but they ask for this when the weather turns cold. It is very filling. If you make it with fat free sausage, it works pretty well as a diet food. I ate this for a week straight and dropped 10 lbs so I could fit into pants for a wedding.

1 lb Smoked Sausage or Polish Sausage Link{ we like Hillshire Farms or Ekrich) you can even use lil smokies if you like.

1/2 Cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

4 cans light red kidney beans

4 bean cans water

4 cups prepared rice

salt and pepper to taste

Tabasco or Creole Seasoning(Tony Chachere's) to taste

Cut the sausage in bite size pieces.

Place in a dutch oven or large pan over medium heat. If the sausage is fat free, you might want to add a tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook till the sausage is browned. Add 4 cans kidney beans and 4 cans of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Stir well.

Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes. Cook your rice to package directions while the beans cook.

Use a spoon or potato masher a couple strokes to break up some of the beans. Cook 10 more minutes.The liquid in the pan should be thickening.

Put some rice in a bowl and cover with bean and sausage mixture. I like mine spicy, while my wife doesn't. So I add lots of tabasco and Creole seasoning to mine. Yummy and very filling.