Red Beans and Rice

When Russell and I first got married we did not always eat the best. A lot of what we ate was pre-packaged and very processed. We still eat some of those items today, but what I have found is moderation is key. As I become more conscious of what we eat I have been trying to get back to the basics. Items that we previously ate from a box I am trying to make them from scratch. Red beans and rice is one of those items. I have always previously made red beans and rice from a box. While this was convenient, I am certain that "made from scratch" red beans and rice are much better not only health wise, in taste as well!

I have been searching for a red beans and rice recipe for a while now. I finally came across one last week that I knew would be a winner. Russell loves red beans and rice so as he took his first bite I anxiously waited for his reaction. He shook his head a few times in approval and finally stated it was wonderful--I was so relieved. Up until now Russell has been in love with creamy cajun pasta, he later proclaimed that red beans and rice was his new favorite meal. This dish is so simple to make, and for the most part is a one pot meal. The original recipe had the red beans and rice prepared separately with the red beans then served over the rice. I modified the recipe and cooked everything together. I think the flavors blend together well this way which yields a quite tasty final product.

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound of smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite creole seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1- 15 ounce can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1- 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

In a large non-stick saute pan, brown sausage over medium heat. Once browned, transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In the same large saute pan, add the onion and garlic, saute until tender. Stir in Italian seasonings, crushed red pepper, creole seasoning, and pepper, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Add beans, uncooked rice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for five minutes. Fluff with fork and stir in browned sausage.

Adapted from: Dine and Dish: Red Beans and Rice

Jambalaya

I usually begin cooking before Russell gets home from work. When he walks in the door he will always ask me what’s for dinner (he’s normally one hungry husband!). One night when he asked me what we were having I misspoke and said Jambalaya instead of Red Beans and Rice. When I corrected myself his excitement was crushed. Not that Russell doesn’t like red beans and rice, but he was truly excited about having jambalaya. After Russell became so excited about the possibility of having jambalaya for dinner I knew I had to make it for him.

I decided to only use smoked sausage since this was the first time I made jambalaya from scratch; but next time I am going to try including shrimp as well. This turned out wonderful and I will definitely be making it again. The recipe calls for a stovetop and oven safe pot, such as a dutch oven. No worries, if you do not have a pot that can go from the stovetop to the oven you can prepare everything in a skillet and then transfer it to a covered baking dish. It will still turn out wonderfully delicious! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb to 1 lb (depending on your preference) Smoked Sausage or Shrimp (or a combination of the two)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 3/4 cup long grain white rice
• 1-1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1/4 cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, oven proof covered pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add smoked sausage and cook just until it begins to brown.

Add half of the chopped onion and half of the chopped bell pepper to the sausage. Cook until the onion and pepper begin to soften, then add the tomatoes. Stir to mix and allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add rice and allow to cook an additional 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, worcestershire sauce, the remaining chopped onion and pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper, ground pepper, dried thyme, salt, and parsley.

Place lid on the pan and place in the oven to bake for approximately 30-35 minutes.

Adapted from: Cook Like a Champion: Jambalaya, as seen on Dinner and Dessert who adapted it from Sass and Veracity.

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Smoked Sausage

I am not a fan of spicy foods, but when I saw this recipe for Creamy Cajun Pasta with Smoked Sausage I knew I had to make it for Russell. A lot of spicy recipes are simply spicy and lack flavor; this is not the case with this recipe. This is a wonderful dish that has just the right amount of heat and flavor. To turn up the intensity you can increase the amount of cajun seasoning and pepper. I served the sausage on the side, but next time I plan to cut it up into bite-size pieces and mix it in with the pasta. This is a great dish to make after a busy day because it is quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Farfalle pasta
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of your favorite Cajun seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• Parmesan cheese
• Smoked sausage, cut into bite-size pieces

Directions:

In a large pot, boil water for pasta.

Brown sausage over medium heat in a large skillet. Once browned, transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In the same large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for approximately 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant. Meanwhile, boil pasta and cook until al dente.

Add white wine or chicken broth to skillet and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Let wine or broth reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, pepper, salt, and tomato paste.

Add cream and heat to almost bubbling, then reduce heat to low. Allow the cream mixture to reduce by half, approximately 5 minutes.

Drain pasta and add to skillet. Add browned sausage and parsley, toss. Top with parmesan cheese.

Source: Cook Like a Champion: Pasta with Creamy Cajun Sauce, originally adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Pulled Pork

Last May Russell and I moved to Virginia. Our first night there Serena, Allen, and two of their friends, Brandy and Jason, came over and brought us dinner. Brandy brought pulled pork. It was delicious and very tender. I asked her how she made it and she said it was quite simple, root beer and pork shoulder roast (boston butt) in the crockpot. Unfortunately my crockpot was packed up and put into storage before we left for Virginia, so I had to wait until we returned to Texas earlier this month to try this out.

Russell prefers the vinegar based BBQ sauce and I prefer the traditional style BBQ sauce. I am still searching for a great recipe for both so for now we just used our favorite bottled BBQ sauce. I used the pulled pork to make pulled pork sandwiches and served it with cole slaw since Russell likes to top his pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw.

Another way to use the pulled pork is to make Pulled Pork BBQ Nachos. I know it might sound odd at first but trust me they are delicious. There is a wonderful mexican restaurant in Huntsville, AL called Rosie’s. They serve BBQ Chicken Nachos, and they are amazing! Since I had pulled pork I just substituted it for the chicken. To make Pulled Pork BBQ Nachos, top tortilla chips with pulled pork, then BBQ sauce, followed by some shredded cheese. Place in the microwave for a few seconds to melt cheese. Then indulge yourself :)

Ingredients:

• Pork Shoulder Roast (Boston Butt), I found a 3.5 lb which was a perfect size for the crockpot
• Root Beer
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Celery Salt
• Salt
• Pepper
• Any other additional seasonings of your preference
• Favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:

Place the Pork Shoulder in the crockpot and season with onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, salt, and pepper.

Pour approximately 2 cups of root beer over the pork.

Set the crockpot on low and cook for approximately 7 hours.

Drain off the excess liquid and pull pork apart. If you would like you can pour in your favorite BBQ sauce and continue to cook on low for about 30 minutes to an hour. Otherwise serve pork as you wish, topping it with your favorite BBQ sauce.