This is a meal that will fill you up yet leave you wanting more because it’s that good. Very little prep time is needed.
_____________________________
1 pound pack of dry kidney beans
1 package of kielbasa or polish sausage
Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Cajun seasoning, Bay leaves, Cayenne pepper
Vinegar
1 medium onion
Rice
—————————————
Put the beans in a bowl and cover with water the night before
(if you forget to soak your beans overnight you can do a quick soak method. Place the beans in a pan that has a lid, put water in till it just covers the beans about a 1/2 inch. Set on high and just when you start seeing the first bubbles of a boil, turn the heat off, set the pan to the side, cover with the lid and let soak for one hour)
Place beans in a crock-pot Chop onion and add to crock-pot If using fresh garlic, put about 1-2 cloves. If using powder, shake to taste
Add salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning – watch your salt since the Cajun seasoning has salt in it.
To make it spicy shake a little Cayenne pepper in.
Add 2-3 bay leaves (if they are smaller use 3 if they are larger 2 will work fine)
Pour 1 TBS of vinegar in
Add 6 cups of water
———————————————————
Set your crock-pot on low for 6 hours
Follow directions for proper amount of rice you need to cook. I use about 1 -1/2 cups of uncooked rice to be sure there is some left over for the next day.
When the beans are done, fish out the bay leaves. Then take about 3/4 of the beans/liquid out of the crock-pot and put them in your KitchenAid mixer on a low to medium-low setting to mash the beans just a little. If you don’t have a Kitchen-Aid you can put them in a blender, just don’t over do it or the beans will turn to paste. OR you can do it the old fashion way and mash them yourself with a hand held masher….I’m too busy for that kind of fun!
Mix the mashed beans back into the crock pot
Cut up the kielbasa into bit size portions and saute in a pan. When browned mix them into the beans and serve over rice
INSIDER TIP: With the holiday’s coming up you can leave out the kielbasa take the leftover ham bone and add that to the slow cooking beans. The leftover meat will melt off and you will have a wonderful flavor to your beans! You can substitute andouille sausage as well. ALSO I like my beans spicy, I like to cut up a few jalapeno slices and add that to my beans. If you want a little extra spice without killing your intestines, you can take out the cayenne pepper and replace with a small can of diced green chilies.
Little Mom BIG World 