Red Beans & Rice

Despite the fact that I have been blogging for more than a decade, and cooking nearly all of my life, I have yet to experience some of the simplest of foods. Case in point, prior to making them just the other day, I had never eaten red beans and rice. I kept thinking to myself…beans and rice? What can be so yummy about beans and rice? Well, I’ll tell you, they are delicious! I did all of my chopping ahead of time, so it was absolutely no trouble to put this together. The house smelled wonderful while they were simmering on the stove, and once I took my first delicious, smoky, spicy bite, I could hardly put the spoon down.

 Red Beans & Rice

Adapted from Damn Delicious

 1 c. long grain basmati rice

1 T. olive oil

1 (12.8-oz.) pkg. smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

2 T. tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ t. Cajun seasoning

3 (15-oz.) cans red beans, drained and rinsed

3 c. chicken stock

1 t. Crystal hot sauce

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves

 Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.

 Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate

 Add shallots, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

 Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.

 Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf, and sausage. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.

 Using an avocado masher (an invaluable tool, in my opinion), mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 Serve topped with rice and garnished with parsley, and a bottle of hot sauce on the side.

Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

 

 I’m suffering from the post-Thanksgiving blues. Not that I did anything, mind you, but I did leave the house and that’s saying something. I was also in a crowd of 14 people and by Sunday night I realized that I was coming down with something. It may be something, it may be nothing, but I’m taking no chances. Today, during one of my good moments, I put together a big ole crock of comfort food. I have only once before made red beans and rice (you can find that recipe here), and I absolutely loved it! Today I did not want to spend time standing by the stove, so I put everything into the crockpot. It was phenomenal! The house was scented with the most magnificent fragrance, and I could not wait to dig in. From past experience, I know that this freezes very well, so it can take place in the freezer alongside various stocks, sauces, soups, and stews, to get me through the winter. Wonderful!

Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

 2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained

1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, undrained

½ lb. smoked sausage thinly sliced (andouille or smoked)

2 celery ribs, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium Melissa’s organic yellow onion, chopped

1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic

2 c. chicken stock

2 T. tomato paste

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ t. Cajun seasoning
1 t. Crystal hot sauce

1 bay leaf

4 cups uncooked long grain rice

Green onions chopped, for garnish

Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Add red kidney beans, smoked sausage, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and bay leaf to a 6-quart slow cooker. Set on high setting and cook for 4-6 hours, depending upon how juicy you like your beans.

 Cook rice according to package directions. Remove bay leaf and serve red beans over top of the cooked rice. Top with fresh green onions and parsley.

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Overnight Slow Cooked Pinto Beans and Rice

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 My pantry is a disaster; it’s really starting to irritate me. The other day I thought I’d split my lip when a big Tupperware container fell down from the top shelf and hit me in the face. I figured it was time to get serious about organization, so I started pulling things out to take stock of what I had. For whatever reason, I uncovered an embarrassingly large supply of dried pinto beans. Time to put them to use, I told myself.

 

  This recipe is a combination of the slow cooked pinto beans I made last year as well as red beans and rice that I made earlier this year (sans meat). It’s easy to put together and cooks while you sleep, so upon arising, it’s ready for whatever meal you plan to use it. 

 

  Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock or water, and you have a vegetarian meal. It’s a great dish to eat on its own, as a side dish, or when use as an ingredients in burritos. It is versatile, nutritious, and freezes beautifully.

 

 Overnight Slow Cooked Pinto Beans and Rice

1 1-lb. bag dried pinto beans*
1 green pepper, diced
1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, sliced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ t. Kosher salt
½ t. pepper
1 t. garlic powder

1 T. chili powder
½ t. cumin
½ t. oregano

7-8 c. chicken stock**

½ c. uncooked basmati rice

Rinse and drain the beans, discard any dirt clumps or rocks. Place into a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the green pepper, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cover beans with chicken stock to 2 inches above them. Cover and cook on low overnight (10-12 hours). Do not open the lid while they cook or they will not get tender.

When you get up in the morning, add the rice and cook for another hour.

Serve topped with garnishes of your choice such as sour cream, chopped jalapeños, chopped scallions, chopped tomatoes, or grated cheese.

Serve with Honey Cornbread.

* There is no need to soak these, but I soaked mine.

 ** To make vegetarian replace chicken stock with vegetable stock or just use water.

 

 

Cuban Black Bean Soup From Fountain on Locust

Don't you love it when you see a recipe that you want to make, and know that you have all of the ingredients on hand? This is where I found myself last Wednesday while paging through the food section of the Post-Dispatch, spotting a recipe for black bean soup served by a popular eatery in the city called Fountain on Locust. Or, at least I thought I had all the ingredients. As it turned out, I only had one can of black beans, because I’d used the other can in a dip that I’ll be telling you about later.

As long as I didn't have two cans of black beans, I decided to use one can of black beans and one can of cannellini beans. Then, I realized that I didn't have enough homemade chicken stock, so I decided, what the heck, I'll just use 4 teaspoons of ham soup base dissolved in 4 cups of water. Then I thought, huh, I have a ham bone in the freezer, so why not toss it in for good measure?

I knew I wasn't going to stand in front of the stove for all of this -- I didn't want to be bothered with that -- so I threw everything into the crockpot. It turned out to be wonderful soup the way I made it, but I'm sure it's equally as good the way Fountain on Locust makes it as well. The original recipe is below, and it's vegetarian; if you don't mind eating meat and you’d like to try my version, just replace one can of black beans with cannellini, use ham stock, and toss it all into the crockpot with a ham bone. (I let it go on “low” all day long, so about 8 to 10 hours. At the 4-hour spot, I removed the ham bone, cut off the ham, diced it, and added it back into the crockpot, and continued to let it cook until I was ready for dinner.) I garnished with sour cream, diced avocado, diced tomatoes, black olives, and cilantro. It was a meal in a bowl!

Tasty! 

Cuban Black Bean Soup From Fountain on Locust

As appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ medium green pepper, seeded and dice

½ yellow or white onion — not sweet — peeled and diced

½ cup diced carrot piece

¼ cup diced red roasted peppers (I used Melissa’s Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers)

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, approximately 4 cups, drained and rinsed

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup crushed tomatoes

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon malt vinegar

2 cups cooked rice

½ cup sour cream (optional)

Notes: At the Fountain on Locust, most soups are made a day ahead of serving to allow the flavors to blend.

• The Fountain serves this soup over rice and garnishes it with sour cream. The soup is vegetarian; vegan if no sour cream is added.

1. Pour olive oil into a large 4- or 5-quart heavy-bottom pan. Swirl to coat the bottom, then place over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer.

2. Add chopped green pepper, onions, carrots and roasted red peppers, stir to blend, reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic, stir, and cook 1 minute longer.

3. Add drained and rinsed beans, broth, tomatoes, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper and chili powder. Stir to blend and simmer until done. If needed, add more broth to the soup to achieve desired consistency.

4. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Stir in the malt vinegar.

5. Divide rice evenly into bowls. Ladle soup over the rice. If desired, add a dollop of sour cream for garnish and serve.

Yield: 6 large servings or 8 medium bowls

PRINT RECIPE 

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Art of Homemaking Monday
Make it Pretty Monday

Celebrate Your Story

Inspire Me Tuesday

Tuesdays At Our Home

Tuesdays with a Twist

The Scoop

O My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday
 Homestead Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Wine’d Down Wednesday

Moonlight and Mason Jars
Full Plate Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Home and Garden Thursday
 Friday at the Fire Station
Foodie Friday & Everything Else
Share Your Style

 

Copycat P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans

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Despite the fact that P.F. (for Paul Fleming, in case you didn’t know) Chang‘s China Bistro is quite a popular chain amongst the vast array of Asian-theme restaurants, I don’t particularly care for it. It’s not that I haven’t tried to like it, I have, I just tend to think it’s overrated. That said, I do like their green beans...a LOT. Occasionally, I’ll get a taste for those green beans and whip up a batch. With this ubiquitous copycat recipe, there is absolutely nothing to it.  It makes a wonderful side dish no matter your cuisine, or a tasty meatless meal when served on top of a mound of rice.

Copycat P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans

 1-2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

2 scallions, thinly sliced

½ t. red pepper flakes*

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. sesame oil

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper

 Sauce:

2 T. low sodium soy sauce

1 T. rice vinegar

1 t. sugar

¼ c. water

1 t. cornstarch

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 Sesame Seeds

Red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, mix together sauce ingredients; set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, and allow it to heat for 30 to 45 seconds until just barely shimmering. Add garlic, scallions, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir-fry quickly for about 30 seconds. Add green beans and stir constantly until they’re almost fully cooked, three minutes. Push beans to the side, give the sauce a good stir, and add it to the skillet. Cook the sauce for 30 seconds; let the sauce come to a boil, then turn the heat to low. The sauce will thicken slightly. Stir the sauce into the green beans to coat. Cook beans and sauce for another 30 seconds, and then remove the skillet from the heat. Place green beans and sauce onto a serving plate or a bowl and garnish with sesame seeds and a few shakes of red pepper flakes. Serve.

 *Feel free to adjust down if you prefer a milder taste.

 Happy Meatless Monday!

 

 

 

J.W. Jackson’s Black Bean and Rice Salad

I am an avid mystery reader, mysteries and crime novels…and cookbooks…and gardening books…and decorating books. OK, you get it. I like to read. I do. I find a lot of inspiration in books, particularly when it comes to cooking. You might be surprised to learn that a lot of that inspiration comes from the mysteries that I read. 

I don’t know what it is about me, but I tend to discover authors long after they have passed away. I hate that because there are some series of books that I have loved so much that I have felt inspired to write the authors to thank them. Anne George is on that list with her Southern Sisters mysteries, Virginia Rich and her breaking-the-mold Eugenia Potter culinary mysteries are on that list, and now, Philip R. Craig is joining them. I don’t know why it took me so long to discover the J.W. Jackson mysteries, but I absolutely love them. J.W. is an ex-Boston cop who left the force in his mid-30s after a gunshot injury. He lives on and tends acreage in Martha’s Vineyard, grows his own vegetables, fishes for his own food, and cooks! Who wouldn’t love a guy like that? To make things even better, there are recipes for some of the dishes at the end of each novel. Because, in their day, this became so popular, author Craig came out with a cookbook entitled Delish! a phrase J.W. uses often in the books to describe his delicious cooking.

There are a number of seafood recipes that I plan to try and share with you, but J.W.’s Black Bean and Rice Salad struck a chord with me today, so I decided to make it, adding in (as he said I could) my own addition in the form of one of my new favorite things to eat, hearts of palm. I absolutely loved the results, and found that rather than using this as a side dish, it makes an excellent meal all on its own. I imagine the addition of cooked chicken would make it all the better if you plan to serve it as a cold evening meal.

 This salad is mentioned in chapter 3 of the 9th (of 21) book in the series, A Shoot on Martha’s Vineyard:

“We went down to eat. Grilled bluefish, fresh homemade bread, rice and bean salad, and the house Sauvignon Blanc. Delish!”

He’s right, it is delish, as well as colorful, nutritional, and good, and I don’t know what beats that. Oh, it’s also make ahead, and keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge.

J.W. Jackson’s Black Bean and Rice Salad

Slightly modified by yours truly

2-3 15-oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound bag frozen corn kernels, cooked (or 1 15-oz. can)

2 cups long-grain rice, cooked
1 large bell pepper, red or green, diced
½ cup red onion, chopped

1 14.8 oz. jar Melissa’s Hearts of Palm, sliced into coins
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of oregano
Your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing, to taste

Optional ingredients: shredded cheddar cheese or feta cheese, sliced black olives, marinated artichoke hearts, chopped cilantro, oregano, chili powder, cumin

Mix and serve. It’s very good with rice pilaf, wild rice, or basmati rice.

PRINT RECIPE

Another “delish” way to enjoy black beans is in this Time-Out Back Bean Dip.

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

Dream, Create, Inspire

Wonderful Wednesday

Whimsical Wednesdays

Full Plate Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

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Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Casserole with a Flavorful Twist

 

Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food—easy, hearty, and perfect for feeding a crowd without much fuss. I recently experimented in the kitchen and came up with this creamy chicken wild rice casserole that turned out even better than I hoped. It's packed with tender chicken, nutty wild rice blend, crisp veggies, and a creamy sauce that ties everything together beautifully. The surprise stars? Fire-roasted red peppers for a subtle smoky sweetness and water chestnuts for that satisfying crunch.

What I love most about this dish is its versatility. It's a true one-dish meal with protein, starch, and veggies all in one. You can prep it ahead (assemble everything except the toppings, refrigerate overnight, then add the cheese and fried onions right before baking), making it ideal for busy weeknights, family dinners, or even a ladies' luncheon. It serves about 6 generous portions—plenty for a family or leftovers the next day.

The Montreal Chicken Seasoning adds a savory, herby kick (think garlic, onion, black pepper, and hints of herbs), while the sharp cheddar melts into gooey perfection and the French fried onions give an irresistible crispy topping.

Give it a try—you might just find your new go-to casserole!

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Casserole 

3 c. white & wild rice blend

3 c. cooked, cubed chicken breast meat

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 scallions (green onions), diced

½ c. chopped crimini mushrooms

⅓ c. chopped fresh parsley

⅔ c. chopped Melissa’s Fire Roasted Red Peppers, drained

1 8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 14.5-oz. can French-style green beans, drained

1 10.75-oz. can cream of celery soup

½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise

½ c. sour cream

1¼ t. Montreal Chicken Seasoning

¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 2.5–6 oz. can crispy fried onions

Cook the white & wild rice blend according to the package directions. Fluff and set aside to cool slightly. 

While the rice is cooking, preheat your oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a 2½-quart casserole dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, chopped celery, diced scallions, mushrooms, parsley, fire-roasted red peppers, water chestnuts, and drained green beans. Add the cream of celery soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Montreal Chicken Seasoning, and black pepper. Stir everything together until well mixed and creamy.

Gently fold in the cooked rice until evenly distributed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Finish with a generous layer of crispy fried onions.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly, the cheese is melted, and the onions are golden and crispy.  Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tips

- Make-ahead: Assemble through step 6, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add cheese and onions just before baking (you may need to add 5–10 extra minutes to the bake time if starting cold).

- Variations: Swap cream of celery for cream of chicken or mushroom if preferred. Add a dash more seasoning for extra flavor.

- Servings: 6 hearty portions.

 This casserole hit all the right notes—creamy, crunchy, savory, and satisfying. Let me know if you try it! 

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