re: Red beans and rice help

1 lb of dry beans
6 cups of pork stock or water
1 smoked ham hock
1 lb good smoked sausage
1 medium onion, fine diced
1/2 bell pepper, fine diced
2 stalks celery, fine diced
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, diced
2 or 3 T minced fresh Italian parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 T each, dry thyme, oregano, and basil
1 or 2 whole jalapeno peppers, minced
1 t each black and red pepper
Salt to taste

Method

Brown the sausage and remove from your pot. Add the onion, celery and bell peppper and saute on med heat until the onions are clear. Add the garlic and all dry herbs, peppers, and the jap peppers. Go two more minutes. Add the stock or water. Bring up to a simmer. Add the beans and the hock...reduce the heat and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage, green onions, check for seasoning adjustments, and simmer until the beans are to your desired texure. Mash a cup or two to thicken the dish, if you like, for a creamier texture. Some add butter here...I don't like butter in my dish. Add the parsley and your done.

I don't do mine in a crockpot, but if you put the dishtogether, as above, you could tranfer to a crockpot and finish it over the course of a day , no problem. Aso, I keep ham bones and scraps in the freezer to add to beans. Some minced ham in the pot is a good thing...the smoked hock(s) is/are a necessity.