Beans and Rice 101

One of our favorite meals is beans and rice. It has been my "go to" meal for years, along with spaghetti. It's warm, hearty, nutritious, versatile, and cheap. I make a big ol crock pot full almost every weekend I work. This way I can come home to a warm meal and Stephen is not left desperate for food options when I'm gone.




Today I share the basics of beans and rice. There is so much flexibility with this dish. It's hard to mess this meal up, I promise. For this batch pictured here, I just used up ingredients that were in my freezer and fridge. I always keep a stock of dried beans.

Ingredients (not an exact recipe, most ingredients can be added to suit your taste)
1 package of dried beans (red, navy, or great northern)
diced onions and peppers (about a cup of each)
meat for flavor (bacon, sausage, ham, or all three) This time I used sausage and ham.
water (several cups)
spice (I personally like Tony Chachere's or any Cajun seasoning)
herbs (dried parsley)
minced garlic (optional, but I usually throw some in there)
serve over cooked rice



I start by "throwing in the crock pot" 1 package of dried beans, about a cup of diced onions (white and green) and a cup of diced peppers (bell peppers or sweet peppers). Then meat - sometimes I use ham, sometimes diced up raw bacon, and sometimes sausage.



Next I fill the crock pot to the top with water and set it on low for 6 hours. About half way through I add a tablespoonful (or more) of Cajun seasoning and a small handful of dried parsley.

Serve with some yummy bread from the bakery for dipping.

If you are looking for a more exact recipe here are a couple of good ones to try.

Cajun White Beans
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

This meal never disappoints.