| 1 | lb | red kidney beans |
| 1.5 | qts | water |
| 2 | medium onions, chopped | |
| 2 | ribs | celery with leaves, chopped |
| 1/2 | bell pepper, chopped | |
| 2 | cloves | garlic, chopped or minced |
| 1 | ham bone or bacon drippings | |
| 1 | lb or more | large smoked sausage link |
| seasoning ingredients (optional according to | ||
| original recipe): salt, fresh ground pepper, | ||
| fresh garlic, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, | ||
| thyme and/or oregano | ||
| Soak beans overnight. | ||
| Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic and ham/bacon drippings. | ||
| Bring to a boil, then simmer 2 hours until beans are soft. | ||
| Add sausage and desired seasonings during last 30 minutes. | ||
| Serve with hot fluffy rice and a green salad. | ||
| If desired, garnish with grated sharp cheddar cheese, serve with | ||
| jalepeno cornbread or French bread (as at Treebeard’s). | ||
| Serves 6. | ||
| MP Notes: Most folks would argue that Treebeard’s (a cajun | ||
| restaurant in downtown Houston) has the best red beans & rice. | ||
| It is a tradition. So, this recipe is too good to lose. It appeared in | ||
| the Houston Chronicle, September 10, 1986. | ||