WE LOVE COOKING SO MUCH THAT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO FEATURE A WEEKLY FAMILY RECIPE! WE HOPE YOU ENJOY!

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THIS WEEK'S RECIPE:
OUR FAVORITE
RED BEANS AND RICE WITH SMOKED AND
ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE

THIS IS A TRADITIONAL "MONDAY" DINNER AROUND HERE, BUT WE LOVE IT ANY DAY OF THE WEEK! YOU CAN ADD MORE PEPPER IF YOU LIKE YOUR FOOD CAJUN-HOT AND IF YOU CAN'T FIND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE YOU CAN USE HOT SAUSAGE. AFTER THE BEANS ARE SERVED, SOME IN MY FAMILY ADD SYRUP TO COOL THE SPICE! BANANA PEPPERS ARE GREAT WITH THIS DISH ALSO! ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

  1. ONE POUND DRY RED KIDNEY BEANS
  2. ONE POUND OR ONE PACKAGE SMOKED SAUSAGE
  3. 1/3 POUND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE
  4. 1 CUP CHOPPED ONION
  5. 1/2 CUP CHOPPED GREEN BELL PEPPERS
  6. 1 CHOPPED GREEN ONION WITH STALK
  7. 1 CLOVE MINCED GARLIC
  8. 1 TEASPOON VEGETABLE OIL
  9. 1/4 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
  10. 2 TEASPOONS RED PEPPER SAUCE
  11. 2 DASHES WORSTERSHIRE SAUCE
  12. 2 TABLESPOONS SALT
  13. 2 TEASPOONS BROWN SUGAR
  14. RED OR BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE
  15. APPROX. 6 CUPS WATER
  16. 2 CUPS COOKED WHITE RICE

STEPS:

  1. First, empty dry beans into a large cooking pot and fill with water to about 3 inches above beans.
  2. Add salt, pepper, pepper sauce, worstershire sauce to pot and let soak.
  3. Cut up sausage into approximately 1-2 inch lengths.
  4. In a large skillet, add cooking oil and saute' sausage on medium/high heat until browned. Remove and add to pot with the red beans.
  5. You can begin cooking the beans over medium-high heat while completing the next steps.
  6. With the oil and drippings from the sausage, add the onions, green onions, bell pepper and brown sugar and saute' over medium heat until onions are opaque.
  7. Add garlic and flour and stir constantly over medium heat for about 6 minutes. (be careful not to burn roux)
  8. When browned, stir mixture into pot with beans and bring to a boil.
  9. Turn heat setting to "low" (but, still bubbling) and cook slow, stirring occasionally about 3 hours or until beans are soft and water is thickened. (if not thick enough, you can remove 1/2 cup of just the beans and mash with a fork and return to pot)
  10. Serve over rice with sweet cornbread!! Yum!

LAST WEEK'S RECIPE: SOUTHERN BREAKFAST (BISCUITS, RED GRAVY, BACON AND SMOTHERED POTATOES)

  • 2 CANS BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
  •    1 POUND SLICED BACON
FOR RED GRAVY:
  • 1 6 0Z. CAN ITALIAN FLAVORED TOMATO PASTE
  • 1/3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
  • BACON DRIPPINGS
  • 1 1/2 CUPS WATER
  • 2 DASHES RED PEPPER SAUCE
  • 2 TEASPOONS SUGAR
  • SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE
    • FOR SMOTHERED POTATOES:
    • 5 LARGE BROWN RUSSET POTATOES,
      PEELED AND RINSED
    • 3/4 CUP CHOPPED ONION
    • 1/3 CUP CHOPPED GREEN ONION
    • 4 SLICES RAW BACON
    • 3 DASHES RED PEPPER SAUCE (OPTIONAL)
    • SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
                   

    *

    *

    THIS FAVORITE FAMILY BREAKFAST IS DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS, BUT ON OCCASION IT'S A GREAT TREAT! WE HAVE HAD THIS SPECIALTY ABOUT ONCE A MONTH FOR 4 GENERATIONS IN OUR FAMILY AND I'M SURE THE TRADITION WILL BE CARRIED ON FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. ENJOY!

    STEPS:(FOR GRAVY)

    1. FIRST, COOK THE 1 POUND SLICED BACON IN 10-INCH SKILLET AND SET THE COOKED BACON TO THE SIDE.
    2. LOWER HEAT TO MEDIUM AND ADD FLOUR TO DRIPPINGS, STIRRING CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES OR UNTIL BROWN AND BUBBLY.
    3. NEXT, ADD THE 6 OZ. TOMATO PASTE AND STIR FREQUENTLY UNTIL DARK RED COLOR FORMS, ABOUT 5 MINUTES.
    4. ADD 2 TSP. SUGAR AND PEPPER SAUCE.
    5. SLOWLY STIR IN THE WATER AND STIR UNTIL GRAVY IS SMOOTH AND THICK.
    6. ADD SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE.
    7. BAKE BISCUITS AS PER PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS.

    STEPS: (FOR SMOTHERED POTATOES)

    1. COOK THE 4 SLICES OF BACON OVER MEDIUM HEAT IN A COVERED 10 INCH SKILLET (CAST IRON WORKS BEST).
    2. WHILE BACON IS COOKING, CUT THE POTATOES INTO 1 1/2 TO 2 INCH PIECES.
    3. REMOVE BACON WHEN COOKED, CUT UP INTO SMALL PIECES AND RETURN TO SKILLET.
    4. ADD ONION, GREEN ONION AND PEPPER SAUCE. SIMMER IN BACON DRIPPINGS ABOUT 2 MINUTES OVER MEDIUM HEAT UNTIL ONIONS ARE OPAQUE.
    5. ADD POTATOES, LOWER HEAT SLIGHTLY, COVER AND COOK, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY UNTIL POTATOES ARE LITERALLY FALLING TO PIECES AND BROWNED. (ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES)
    6. SERVE THIS WITH BACON, BISCUITS COVERED WITH RED GRAVY, ORANGE JUICE AND YOU'RE ALL SET FOR A LAZY WEEKEND AFTERNOON!

    LAST WEEK'S FEATURE:

    CRAWFISH OR SHRIMP ETOUFFEE

    INGREDIENTS:

    1. 1 POUND PEELED CRAWFISH OR SHRIMP TAILS (FRESH OR FROZEN)
    2. 3 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
    3. 1/4 CUP BUTTER
    4. ONE CONTAINER DICED MIXED SEASONING OR 1 STALK FINELY CHOPPED CELERY, 1 MEDIUM ONION FINELY CHOPPED, 1 CLOVE GARLIC FINELY CHOPPED AND 3 GREEN ONION STALKS FINELY CHOPPED
    5. 3 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH OR DRIED PARSLEY (FOR GARNISH)
    6. 1 1/2 CUPS WATER OR SEAFOOD STOCK
    7. 2 1/2 TEASPOONS LEMON JUICE
    8. 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
    9. 1/4 TEASPOON PEPPER OR CAJUN PEPPER SPICE
    10. 3 DASHES HOT RED OR HABANERO PEPPER SAUCE
    11. 3 CUPS COOKED WHITE RICE

    STEPS:

    1. USING A 3 QT. SAUCEPAN, HEAT THE BUTTER OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT UNTIL BUTTER IS MELTED AND BUBBLY, REDUCE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND ADD THE FLOUR. MAKE SURE TO STIR CONSTANTLY OR ROUX WILL BURN. COOK THIS PORTION ABOUT 6-8 MINUTES UNTIL IT IS THICK AND BROWN IN COLOR.
    2. ADD THE MIXED SEASONING OR CHOPPED ONION, GREEN ONION, CELERY AND GARLIC AND STIR CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 6 MORE MINUTES OR UNTIL VEGETABLES BECOME SOFT AND OPAQUE.
    3. STIR IN CRAWFISH OR SHRIMP TAILS, SALT, PEPPER SAUCE, PEPPER, LEMON JUICE, WATER OR STOCK, HEAT TO BOILING. REDUCE HEAT AND SIMMER UNCOVERED, STIRRING FREQUENTLY UNTIL THE SEAFOOD TAILS ARE BRIGHT PINK AND WHITE.
    4. GARNISH WITH PARSLEY AND SERVE OVER RICE. WE EAT THIS DISH WITH FRESH, HOT FRENCH BREAD AND PICKLED OKRA! YUM YUM!