Red Beans & Rice Recipe...as requested!

Spicy Red Beans and Rice

2 pounds dried red kidney beans
5 bacon slices, chopped
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 pound salt pork, quartered
6 garlic cloves, minced
5 celery ribs, sliced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped2 (32-ounce) containers chicken broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
Hot cooked rice

Place kidney beans in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans, and let soak 8 hours. Drain beans; rinse thoroughly, and drain again.

Sauté bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add smoked sausage and salt pork; sauté 5 minutes or until sausage is golden brown. Add garlic and next 3 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in beans, broth, 2 cups water, and next 3 ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 hours or until beans are tender. Remove salt pork before serving. Serve over rice

Note: For quick soaking, place kidney beans in a Dutch oven; cover with water 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and proceed with recipe.

Yield: Makes 2 quarts

Southern Living, MARCH 2002

Just a few notes of my own. First of all, this is the best red beans & rice recipe I've ever found. So yummy! I only make a half recipe because it makes so much that Brad and I can eat a half recipe for a week. Also, I replace the green bell pepper with a red bell pepper (just because I think the green are just a little bitter tasting) and use a jalapeno in place of the ground red pepper. Finally, there's a company that sells at the farmers markets around here called the Colorado Sausage Factory and they have a Cajun sausage that is fantastic in this! Flavors the entire recipe.

If anyone decides to make this, let me know what you think! I personally think just smelling the peppers, onions and garlic cooking together makes it all worthwhile:-)

Karrie