I make some pretty mean red beans and my sister in law, Amo, makes an awesome and easy beer bread. So, naturally, we put them together and WOW! This is a fabulous meal for these cold wintery nights. It will warm you and your tummy up!

I will say, this feast does come in over $10, but that’s because it’s huge! You can feed 8, easily. OR, do like I do and freeze the leftovers for another night. That’s two meals in one!

Red Beans:

1 1/4 lb dried red beans, rinsed and sorted – $1.55
2 Smoked Ham Hock – $1.87
1 package (14 oz) Andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces – $3.69
1 medium yellow onion, chopped – $.45
3 Large celery stocks, chopped – $.40
1 Large green bell pepper, chopped – $.49
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper – pantry
3 bay leaves – pantry
2 tsps fresh thyme – pantry
1 Tbsp Soul Season or Cajun Spice – pantry
2 tablespoons chopped garlic – pantry
2 quarts chicken stock, or water (I add bouillon, it’s cheaper) – pantry
2 shakes of Louisiana Hot sauce or Tabasco (if you want more spice) – pantry/fridge
2 Tbsp lard – pantry
4 cups cooked white rice – $.50

COST: $8.95

In a large pot, add dried beans to 2 quarts water or stock. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 2 hours.

When beans have cooked 2 hours, set aside and get an additional large pot. Heat lard over medium to med-high heat. Add onion, celery and bell peppers to the hot grease in the pot and saute. Season with pepper and Soul or Cajun Seasoning and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.

Add bay leaves, thyme and Andouille, and continue cooking and stirring. You just want to brown the sausage, so cook about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the partially cooked beans, including the liquid they were simmered in.  Stir well, and bring back to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add a little more water or stock, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Serve over rice and don’t forget to remove the bay leaf. A simple side dish of buttery, sauted asparagus and some beer bread make this simple meal a feast!

2 lbs Asparagus (I caught a great sale) – $2.09
1 tsp Butter or margarine – pantry
Salt and Pepper to taste – pantry

COST: $2.09

Auntie Amo’s Beer Bread:

3 cups all purpose flour – $.75
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar – $.20
1 12oz bottle of beer, (I like darker beers for more flavor) – $1.16
4 Tbsp butter, melted – $.30
1 Tbsp baking powder – pantry
1 tsp salt – pantry

Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a 9×5 loaf pan with canola oil or Pam.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Open the beer and add it all at once. It will foam up. Stir just until combined. The batter will be lumpy. Place batter in the greased pan, make a center well and drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is crusty. Let it sit in the pan for about a minute and turn it out.

COST: $2.41

GRAND TOTAL: $13.45 – This feeds 8! Remember to freeze half for another meal!