Red Beans & Rice with Sausage

           Today is the first day of 2013.  It’s my birthday and I am making the resolution that I am going to lose the 80lbs I have gained in the past thirty years.

          My first goal is to lose 30 lbs by April 1.  Since I don’t have a scale, my results will be measured in what clothing I can wear again.

          To celebrate the New Year we will have our traditional meal of red beans and rice for good luck.  We add sausage just because we love it.  This is an easy recipe.

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage

1 lb. Dry Beans

2 Dried Chipotle Peppers

2 c. Rice

4 c. Water

4 Fresh Sausages

 

1.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.         Soak beans in a bowl of hot water for one hour.  The beans must be completely covered by the water.
3.         Drain the beans and put in a Dutch oven.  Completely cover the beans with cold water and add the peppers.  The peppers will float on the water.  Cover the Dutch oven.
4.      Put the beans in the oven to cook.  Periodically check the beans to make sure they remain covered with water.  If they don’t, add more water.
5.        After three hours in the oven, add the sausage to the beans in the Dutch oven.  Cook for another hour.  If the beans are not tender at this point, keep cooking and check every ten minutes until they are tender.
6.       Once the beans and sausage have finished cooking, remove the peppers.
7.       As the beans cool, make the 2 c. rice with the 4 c. fresh water in the method best for you.  I use the microwave.

          Serve everything on a single platter.  Place the rice first then the beans go on top.  The sausages can go either on top of the rice and beans or on the sides of the platter.

Happy New Year