Red Beans and Rice in a slow cooker

I love cooking in the morning and letting the slow cooker do all the hard work. Then, just finish up the rest and dinner is served. Tonight we had red beans and rice with alligator meat served over the top. Just about 10 minutes in the morning cutting vegetables and 15 minutes cooking the alligator. Dinner is done! If you are vegetarian like me, I a love a good grilled cheese with the beans and rice for dinner. Alligator is like chicken, and you can find it at Mariano’s or a game store. A little seasoning and a hot skillet or grill is all you need.  Happy cooking!

Red Beans and Rice in a slow cooker  Yield: 6-8 servings

1 pound dried red kidney beans                        2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tble olive oil                                                   3 1/2 cups water

3 celery ribs, diced                                             2 1/2 cups stock

1 medium onion, diced                                       1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 medium green pepper, diced                            1 tsp salt

4 cups cooked rice (make just before serving)     Cajun seasoning to taste

1,) Soak the beans in water over night. If you need to quick soak them, you can bring them to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and let sit for an hour. Drain.

2.) In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the celery, onion, green pepper and garlic in the oil. This should take about 5 minutes to get the onions to soften. Meanwhile, place the drained beans in the slow cooker. Top the beans with the water, stock, crushed red pepper. Stir in the vegetables when they are ready.

3.) Set the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or on high 6-8 hours. Before serving, season with the salt and Cajun seasoning.  Serve over the rice.  If you have any extra beans and rice, you can refrigerate them for 3 days or freeze them for up to 6 months.

To cook the alligator, you can simply rub on some cajun seasoning. Heat your favorite iron skillet over high heat with two tablespoons of oil in it. Place in the alligator steak or pieces of meat, cook for 5-6 minutes. Do not over cook! Serve the meat over the top of the beans and rice. It’s like chicken with a fishy taste–according to 11 year olds.