Family Recipe: Sausage, Rice, and Beans Recipe

Photo: Sausage, Rice, & Beans by Linda Pogue

Family Recipe: Sausage, Rice, and Beans

Years ago, before my first grandchild was born, I was trying to decide what to fix for supper. There were five us to eat that night, my husband, son, daughter, her husband, and I. I hadn't been to the store for a while, and didn't want to go that night.

I found the sausage in my freezer, canned tomatoes, canned kidney beans, and rice in my cabinet. I only had one ring of sausage, not enough for everyone, so I decided to make a rice dish out of it without knowing if it would be good. The family loved it so much, we have been making this dish ever since.

Sausage, Rice, and Beans Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rice, washed, drained, and put in large pot (I use an 8 quart stock pot.)
• water
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomatoes with chilies
• 1 can kidney beans, thoroughly rinsed
• 1/4 cup minced garlic (if using fresh garlic, use 2 or 3 cloves minced)
• 1 onion chopped
• sausage ring sliced into coins
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Slice the sausage into 1/4" wide coins and put in pot.
2. Rinse and drain rice and put into the pot.
3. Open all diced tomatoes and tomatoes with chilies. Drain the liquid into a large measuring cup and set aside. Add the solids to the pot.
4. Open kidney beans and drain. Rinse, drain, and put the beans in the pot.
5. Add garlic to the pot.
6. Add chopped onions to the pot.
7. Add enough water to the liquid off the tomatoes to make 8 cups of liquid.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir all contents.
9. Bring to boil. Stir. Turn heat down to medium heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until rice is done.

Serve with salad or green vegetables.

Freezing and Cooking Purple Hull Peas

Photo: greyerbaby

Cooking Purple Hull Peas

Purple hull peas are my favorite vegetable.

 

The first time I ate them, we were living in east Texas. A friend had a farm and had several acres of purple hull peas planted. When harvest time came, he told us to pick as many as we wanted.

 

We picked about 10 gallons of peas, then I had to call my mom to ask how to prepare them for the freezer.

 

Steps to Preparing Purple Hull Peas for Freezing

 

1. Wash the peas.
2. Snapped the peas, removing the peas from the pods. Discard the pods or boil them with other leftover vegetables to make vegetable stock. 
3. After bringing a large pan of water to a boil, carefully add 1/2 gallon of the peas into the boiling water.
4. When the water returns to boiling, use a timer to let them boil three minutes, then scoop the peas out of the boiling water with a long handled colander.
5. Dump them into ice cold water to cool them rapidly.
6. As soon as the peas are cool, put them in pint or quart sized freezer bags or containers, and transfer them to the freezer.

I only prepared about a gallon of peas at a time. It seemed to take forever to do 10 gallons of peas, but we enjoyed peas for a very long time.

Since we moved from that area, we have not had the opportunity to pick and freeze so many peas, but if I ever have a garden, I will be planting lots of purple hull peas.

Not too long ago, I was perusing the frozen food isle at my local grocery store, and found frozen purple hull peas. I was so excited. I can't wait to cook up a batch along with a big pan of cornbread!

Purple Hull Peas

Delicious any way you cook them!

 

Cooking Purple Hull Peas

 

 

 

My Purple Hull Peas Recipe:

 

I don't use the peppers in my purple hull peas. I do like to add bacon, though. Basically, for a large pot of purple hull peas, I use:

 

• about 4 cups frozen or fresh purple hull peas
• 1/3 pound bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to pot. Bring to a boil, and turn the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until peas are tender. Watch and add hot water to prevent scorching or burning, if necessary. Serve with cornbread or rice. 

 

Freeze left overs for another day.

 

Do you like purple hull peas, too?

 

 

 

Please Comment Below