Creole Red Beans & Rice

makes 8 servings
prep: 20 min, cook 3 hr, other 8 hr
1 16 oz bag dried red kidney beans
1 lb smoked sausage, thinly sliced
2 T vegetable oil
3 celery ribs, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped 3 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 32 oz container chicken broth
3 1/2 C water
2 bay leaves
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/8 t ground red pepper
Hot cooked rice

Rinse & sort beans according to package directions. Place into Dutch oven. Add water 2 inches above beans and let soak 8 hours. Drain beans, rinse, drain, rinse. Set aside.

Saute sausage in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium heat 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving drippings. Refrigerate sausage until ready to stir into bean mixture.

Add celery, bell pepper, green onions & garlic to drippings and saute about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in beans, broth, water, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes then reduce heat to medium, stirring occasionally for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in sausage, disgard bay leaves and serve over hot rice.

*note* Don't spill this in your car or it will stink for days. I would've omitted the celery, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Substitute red beans for pinto beans, ham hock for sausage, omit bell pepper, add 3 T apricot preserves and serve over fried potatoes and cornbread. THAT'S how we make beans in Oklahoma, ya'll!


Apple Spice Cake w/Caremel Glaze

1 store-bought package spice cake mix without pudding
4 large eggs
1/2 C veggie oil
1 C apple juice
1 pkg butterscotch instant pudding
1 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter
1/2 C evaporated milk
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased & floured 13" x 9" pan.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

While cake is cooling, make caramel glaze. Comine brown sugar, butter and evaporated milk in sauce pan. Bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Let cool before pouring on cake.

*note*
You can also grate 1/2 cup granny smith apples and add to the cake batter. I doubled the caramel recipe and poked holes in the cake for the glaze to get down into. This is a messy, oozy, awesome cake. It's for taste, not for show.