Richard and Suzanne's Famous Red Beans and Sausage

Ingredients

• 2 pounds andouille sausage sliced
• 3 slices bacon 
• 3  bay leaves 
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 large bell pepper green chopped
• 1 bunch green onions chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
• 1 large bell pepper red chopped
• 62 ounce kidney beans light red canned
• 2 tablespoons pepper flakes red
• 8 servings salt and pepper to taste
• 0.3 cup butter salted
• 2 quarts water 
• 1 large onion yellow chopped

Equipment

• frying pan
• paper towels
• pot

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Reserving the drippings, remove the bacon, and blot off excess grease with paper towels; crumble and set aside.
2. Add the olive oil, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes to the bacon drippings in the skillet and reheat. Cook the green bell pepper, red bell pepper, yellow onion, green onion, and garlic in the olive oil mixture until tender.
3. Place the kidney beans in a heavy pot over medium heat.
4. Pour the water over the beans; add the vegetable mixture from the skillet and the cooked bacon; stir. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the butter.
6. While the butter melts into the bean mixture, return the skillet to the heat and cook the sausage in the skillet until lightly browned; add the sausage to the beans. Rinse the bottom of the skillet with a small amount of water and pour into the bean mixture. Cook the beans another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.