Slow Cooking Thursday - Cajun Red Beans & Rice

This is my first time participating on Slow Cooking Thursday. So I decided to share one of my family's favorite: Cajun Read Beans & Rice. I got this recipe out of a cookbook, Secrets of Slow Cooking.

Cajun Red Beans & Rice
Serves 4 to 6
6 to 7 quart slow cooker

1 lb dried red kidney beans
1 lb spicy smoked pork sausage
2 green bell peppers
2 ribs celery
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 tsp flour (opt.)
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the beans in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and place over high heat. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it soak for 1 hour.

Slice the sausage on a sharp diagonal into 1/2 inch lengths. Core the peppers and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Dice the celery and roughly chop the onion and garlic.

Add the sausage, vegetables, and the bay leaf to the slow cooker. Drain the beans and add them to the cooker. Pour enough water to just cover the ingredients, about 1 1/2 quarts. Cook, covered, on the low setting for six hours, until the beans are soft and starting to break apart. With a large spoon, ladle off and discard some of the liquid if the mixture is too runny; stir the beans, smashing some of them against the side of the cooker to thicken the liquid. Or, you can use an immersion or stick blender to break up some of the beans, or combine the flour with a bit of the liquid and stir it into the beans.

Season to taste with the cayenne, plenty of salt, and black pepper. Continue to cook, uncovered, in the high setting for 1 more hour.

Meanwhile cook your rice.

Serve the beans and sausage over the rice.

Enjoy!

Don't forget to visit Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to join the fun or to find more yummy recipes.