red beans & rice

This is one of our favorites. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, so my husband grew up eating this. It can be cooked in the crockpot or on the stove, but I personally think its easier in the crockpot so you don't have to worry about it. But, by all means, do whichever you prefer!

ingredients:

1 lb dry kidney beans (soak in a bowl of water overnight. they will start to crack open - that's normal.)

white rice (as many servings as you need for your family or guests)

1 onion

3 bay leaves

salt and pepper

garlic powder

1/2 package of Hillshire Farms smoked sausage, sliced

directions:

stovetop:

1. add 6 cups hot water to beans.

2. cover and simmer gently over low heat until tender, about 2 hours.

3. add onion, bay leaves, spices, and sausage.

4. serve over rice.

crockpot:

1. add beans and 2-4 cups of water to crockpot, and add all ingredients except rice and sausage.

2. cook on low for 6 hours.

3. about an hour before serving, add sausage.

4. serve over rice.

We love to top it with shredded cheddar cheese before we eat it. YUM.