Red Beans and Rice

One big bonus to having an Easter ham is the post Easter meals of New Orleans style red beans and rice! Mmm Mmm. It is simmering on my stove right now.

I got it started last night by soaking the kidney beans overnight in water. This morning I added some ham I could cut off the bone, celery, onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Then I put the rest of the ham in a stock pot to simmer and soften so I could remove the meat from the bones. When the kids and I got home from an appointment the whole house smelled so good!

While the kids lunched I let the ham cool, and started chilling the liquid from the stew pot. It will be de-fatted and frozen for soup. Then the rest of the ham went into the beans and vegetable mixture with a little bit of Tabasco sauce.The meat and beans will simmer all afternoon. Just before supper time I'll make some rice. I serve the meal in soup bowls over white rice.