Sausage, Red Beans, and Rice

This is Steven's fav to eat and my fav to make.  Anything in a crockpot that taste like it came out of the restaurant is my favorite to make and anything that tastes even better leftover that Steven can take to work is his favorite to eat.

It has a lot of ingredients but it is not hard to make or even that many steps. The trickiest part is to remember to soak your beans overnight.  We usually eat this three days after I planned to make it because its hard to remember the beans.

Sausage, Red Beans, and Rice

Adapted from Everyday Slow Cooker

Serves 6-8

Time: Overnight!!

• 16 ounce package of dried red beans
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced 
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 5 cups water
• 3/4 cups fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• hot cooked rice
• green onions chopped (optional garnish)

Cover beans with water and let sit overnight. Drain and rinse beans and place in slow cooker.

Saute sausage and onion over medium heat until the sausage is browned and the onion is tender.

Stir sausage mixture, water, parsley, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, and garlic in with the beans. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours.

Mash beans with a potato masher until desired consistency. Serve on top of white rice.  Store leftovers separate from the rice, the leftovers are even better.

Update 6/28/2017 - the cooked sausage and beans (after slow cooker, before rice) can be frozen, reheated and served with fresh hot rice.