Cold again today. On the menu and already cooking is Red Beans and Rice.

Ingredients

1 ham bone
16 cups water
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (adjust to taste - start with 1/4 and when closer to done, taste it and add more if you want)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound red beans, washed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic minced (uh, if you like garlic, go for it and up this to 3 or 4)]
3 tablespoons oil (I use olive, but any cooking oil is fine)]
1/2 pound ham, cubed
1/4 pound (one link) hot sausage, sliced (this can be raw sausage or smoked)
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
course ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley (if dried use a couple tablespooons)
2 cups cooked rice (you might make more depends on how many you are feeding. The 2 cups serves 2 - 4 in my opinion and family - the recipe for the RB makes more. But this does freeze well and then can micro for another meal with fresh rice)

Beans - wash them and place in a large pot or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Cover with water. Bring to boil, and boil a couple minutes, then turn off heat, cover and let it set for one hour. Then drain and rinse the beans. (No, they are no where close to done. I have to add this. I gave this recipe to someone without that caveat once and....)

I drain the beans in a big colander and just let them sit on the counter in it with a paper towel under it. This saves on the washing up.

In same dutch oven, put the oil and saute the celery, onion and garlic until the onions are transparent. Stir often. I then use a slotted spoon to put the vegetables on top of the beans (uh see prior note about saving on dishes). Then put the chopped ham and the sausage in the dutch oven and brown the sausage - keep you eyes on this, this goes really fast. If I am using raw hot sausage, I put this on the bottom and when I turn it I add the others. If all the sausage is smoked, I just put all of it and the ham in and stir till it has a nice color.

Now, put the beans and veggies and meat in a large pot. I use a medium stainless soup pot. Add the water. Add the garlic salt, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaves. Add some salt and pepper. Go light on the salt now - or just wait, as when it is about an hour from done, I taste add them then. I also adjust the hot sauce.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered over a low flame till beans are soft and creamy. About 3 hours - check them at least every half hour, giving them a good stir. When done, take out the bay leaves and throw them away! Add parsley before serving. Depending on how you like your beans - thicker or thinner sauce, you can cook this longer. I often cook them closer to 4 hours. Serve over hot, fluffy rice. We are really into jasmine rice and are having that with it.

Serve with hot freshly baked French bread - or cornbread is good if you are in the mood for that). Will make the bread later this afternoon. I make the dough in the bread machine then shape, raise it again on the baking sheet and bake in the oven. We are having spinach salad with thinly sliced red onion and orange slices. And for dessert chocolate Whip and Chill.

I am always impressed with how incredible the RB smell while cooking. I can't wait till dinner.

Was thinking about baking heart shaped sugar cookies today, but, decided to do tomorrow.

Got laundry done for day. Got morning routines done. Except for bed making, which I will do shortly when I go upstairs to put away laundry. Putting away laundry is my least favorite household chore. Went outside and checked on the animals, DH fed them all before work (sometimes he does the chix and the bunny but forgets the outside cats!?!!). It is cold and I just have a feeling we are going to get some snow here, I REALLY hope I am wrong but as much as I am not wanting snow, The Wild Child, is working on getting some, so I don't know. She is very strong willed.

Have to make some boot disks for my mom's computer which I think is actually going to need a new harddrive. I was thinking of taking everything out of my pantry cabinet and the spice/baking cab and reorganzing, but, that sounds like too much work for me today, LOL - I still might. The cabs are dark inside and I want to clean them, then spray paint high gloss white paint inside before putting things back. This is supposed to make it easier to see inside and come to think of it, this is a project for a warmer day when I can open the windows.