Red Beans and Rice.

Alien asks, in comments:

Might you have the recipe for that dish, as in what kind of sausage, how much of what, etc. ?

I was talking about Red Beans and Rice, so I assume that he means that dish.   Red Beans and Rice is an old cajun dish.  It may be in other cultures, but traditionally, Red Beans and Rice was a Monday dish, simply because Monday was wash day,  and red beans and rice didn't take much attention.  The harried housewife could walk past the stove once every half hour or so, give it a stir, and move on.  Traditionally made with dried beans, some of us cheat and use canned beans.  Milady scoffs at my canned bean recipe, but she eats her fair share of them when it's time to eat.

There are probably as many variations of Red Beans and Rice as there are people who cook, but I'll give you my easy, quick recipe.

Red Beans and Rice.

Ingredients.

One pound good sausage.  Whatever you like.  I've used smoked, pork, beef, kielbasa, and andouille.  It doesn't matter.  One pound of good sausage.
4 medium cans of red kidney beans.
One medium yellow onion.
1/4 cup vegetable oil.
3 cups uncooked white rice.
Brown gravy mix, or, make a dark roux.

Preparation.

Chop your onion and cut up your sausage into rounds.
In a large skillet, saute the onion.  When the onion is clear and sweet, add the sausage.  Let that cook for a while.  You're basically frying the sausage. Stir frequently, stay close.

In a large pot, add the cooked onion and sausage.  Add your cans of beans.  Adjust your gravy to make the beans, sausage, gravy the consistency of a thick stew.  Simmer on a low heat until meal time.  The longer it simmers, the better the flavors blend.

Or, alternatively, add cooked sausage, onions, gravy and beans to a ceramic slow cooker.  Put on low and cook for several hours.

A half-hour before meal time, cook rice according to label directions.

Serve in bowls.  A dollop of rice, add beans over it.  Serve with a prayer of thanks and the beverage of choice.

Red beans and rice is so traditional that I've known restaurants that always made a big pot of red beans on Mondays.  Generally, it was an off-menu item, but it was the specialty of the day on Mondays.

If you don't feel like actually cooking, you can use dry beans and cook the whole thing in a crock pot.  It's great for working folks, and it's really simple.  The night before, get a pound of dry red beans, wash them throoughly and put them in the crock pot.  Cover with water, but don't turn the pot on.  Go to bed.  The next morning, cut up your sausage, add some onion, make sure that everything is covered with water.  Add a litle salt and pepper.  Set the crock pot on low, and go to work.  When you get home about five o'clock, make a pot of rice.  The beans will be done, and the long cooking time helps to blend the flavors.

Red beans and rice is easy, versatile, and filling.  It's a great way to feed a crowd.