Spicy Red Beans and Rice

(From Southern Living)

1 1/2 lbs. dried red kidney beans (or 3 cans if you don't want to soak)
5 slices of bacon, chopped
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 lb. salt pork, quartered
6 garlic cloves minced
5 celery ribs, sliced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 (32 oz) containers chicken broth
1 t. salt
1 t. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 t. black pepper

Place kidney beans in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans and let soak 8 hours. Drain beans; rinse thoroughly and drain again.

Saute bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add smoked sausage and salt pork; saute 5 min. or until sausage is golden brown. Add garlic and next three ingredients; saute 5 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Stir in beans, broth, and next three ingredients. bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer stirring occasionally, 3 hours or until beans are tender. Remove salt pork before serving (sometimes I can only find "sliced" salt pork...just bind with kitchen twine for easy removal). Serve over rice.

Note: If using canned beans, after the "15 minute boil", transfer to a crock pot and cook on low 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours to let flavors combine without over-cooking beans.

Crawfish Soup

(From Aimee Roberts)

2 cans of cream of potato soup
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 can of cream style corn
1 1/2 cans of evaporated milk
1 lb. crawfish tails (I buy the peeled and precooked in the frozen seafood section)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Cajun seasonings (ex. Tony's, Emerils, Black and Redfish Seasoning, ect...)
salt and pepper to taste
angel hair pasta (optional)

*Saute the bell pepper and onion in the butter. Add all of the rest of the ingredients in a large pot (excluding pasta). Simmer on medium heat until hot. Serve and Enjoy!
***This soup tends to be thick. You can serve it over the pasta if desired.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3-4 pound pork roast (Boston Butt)
2 onions
1 bottle BBQ sauce (your choice)
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350. In roasting pan, layer one of the onions (sliced) and place meat on top. Add 2 cups of water to bottom of pan. Cover and cook 2-3 hours until roast pulls apart easily. Remove roast and shred. Discard onions, etc. from roasting pan.

In a slow cooker add shredded pork, one onion (chopped) and 3/4 of a bottle of BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or low 5-6 hours. Serve on sesame seeded buns with pickles and remaining BBQ sauce.