[Arwen]

Here's a recipe for Red Beans&Rice. This is a very traditional dish in Louisiana. It was usually made on Mondays because that was wash day. You could put on a big pot of beans in the morning and not have to worry about supper!

Mama Mann's Red Beans & Rice

1 large bag dry red beans
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground sausage (Mama likes sage sausage)
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C Cajun seasoning (Mama recommends Tony Chachere's(tm) Cajun Seasoning)
1 large Can Tomato Paste
1 C Ketchup (more or less to taste)

For best results, use dry beans. (If not available, canned beans can be used--drain them but don't rinse them--and Mama says 'ask yourself WHY you don't have dry beans in your pantry!') Soak the beans for at least three hours--best if overnight. Some will float to the top--discard those immediately. Drain, rinse and put in a large soup pan. Add just enough water to cover completely and cook over low heat until done. Check periodically to ensure beans remain covered. Beans will be soft but not mushy. When cooked, take 1/2 of them out and smash them to use as a thickener. Put back in the pan. Cook beef and sausage together, add onions and cook until meat is done and onions are clear. Drain and pour into pot with beans. Add your seasonings, tomato paste and ketchup. Stir and allow to simmer together until well-mixed and flavors are blended. Serve with white rice and cornbread. Like many tomato-based dishes, it's better on day 2 and freezes beautifully.


That's exactly how I got the recipe. LOL I always monkey around with mine so this is just a skeleton really. You can make a non-meat version of this as well.