Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 3 rib celery chopped
• 10 servings rice long-grain hot cooked
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning 
• 3  garlic cloves minced
• 1  bell pepper green chopped
• 10 servings garnish: green onions finely chopped
• 1 pound beans dried red
• 1  bell pepper red chopped
• 1  onion sweet chopped
• 0.8 pound turkey sausage smoked thinly sliced

Equipment

• frying pan
• slow cooker

Directions

1. Combine first 8 ingredients and 7 cups water in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 7 hours or until beans are tender.
2. Serve red bean mixture with hot cooked rice, and, if desired, hot sauce.
3. Garnish, if desired.
4. Try These Twists!
5. Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice: Substitute frozen meatless smoked sausage, thawed and thinly sliced, for turkey sausage.
6. Per cup (with 1 cup rice): Calories 422; Fat 5g (sat 4g, mono 2g, poly 2g); Protein 5g; Carb 4g; Fiber 2g; Chol 0mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 530mg; Calc 113mg
7. Quick Skillet Red Beans and Rice: Substitute 2 (16-oz.) cans light kidney beans, drained and rinsed, for dried beans. Reduce Creole Seasoning to 2 tsp. Cook sausage and next 4 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until sausage browns.
8. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Stir in 2 tsp. seasoning, beans, and 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
9. Serve with hot cooked rice and, if desired, hot sauce.
10. Garnish, if desired. Makes 8 cups. Hands-on Time: 26 min., Total Time: 46 min.
11. Per cup (with 1 cup rice): Calories 424; Fat 2g (sat 1g, mono 2g, poly 4g); Protein 2g; Carb 5g; Fiber 6g; Chol 25mg; Iron 3mg; Sodium 804mg; Calc 76mg