peg's "red" beans and rice with kielbasa

​“Red” Beans & Rice is a favorite dish Down South!  Even though I grew up in the Northern Midwest, my heart (well, my stomach) craved items from the South. I was always a fan of “Red” Beans & Rice, so I began making my own. Here’s the recipe I developed and used. Family and friends have all enjoyed it - I’m sure you and yours will too! And, again, you can try this for dinner or lunch or as a snack!!

INGREDIENTS
Kielbasa (beef) - 12-16 oz. (fully cooked)
Celery (2 fresh stalks)
Pepper (½ fresh red)
Onion (½ fresh red/purple)
Tomato (1 fresh red or yellow)
Garlic (1 tablespoon minced, or fresh)
Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
Great Northern (White) Beans - 15 oz. (canned) - or you can use Red Kidney beans
Tomato Sauce - 15 oz. (canned)
Chicken (or Beef) Broth - 2 cups (canned or “boxed”)
1/4 cup fresh Thyme
1/4 cup Sugar (to "mellow" out the tomato and tomato sauce) 
Rice - 8.8 oz. each (use 2) - I use Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice (microwaveable in the pouch) - Butter & Garlic flavored, or Jasmine, or Basmati

DIRECTIONS    

1. Spray a medium sauce pan with Pam, cooking spray, over stovetop.
2. Slice Kielbasa into coin slices (approximately ½ inch thick) and then again cut each piece in half. Place in sauce pan.
3. Chop Celery, Pepper, Onion, Tomato and Garlic into small pieces and combine together with cut up Kielbasa in sauce pan. Add Olive Oil.
4. Rinse Beans and add to Kielbasa/Veggie/Olive Oil mix. Add Tomato Sauce and Broth.
5. Add the Thyme and Sugar for seasoning.
6. Simmer for approximately 2 hours.
7. Right before 2 hours of simmering is finished, microwave the Rice (if using Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice - you only need 90 seconds to cook this in the microwave).
8. Serve the microwaved Rice in a bowl and then serve Kielbasa, Beans, Veggie and Broth mix over the Rice and enjoy!!

God Bless, Peg
“Never, never, never give up.” -- Winston Churchill