Red Beans And Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine
3 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups chopped green bell peppers
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 lb cooked ham, cubed
1 lb smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 lb salt pork, chopped
3 lbs red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed in cool water
water
slap ya mama cajun seasoning
3/4 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crumbled dried basil
4 bay leaves
chopped green onion (to garnish)
chopped fresh parsley leaves (to garnish)

Preparation

In a large, heavy pot, heat the bacon drippings over medium heat.
Add the onions, bell peppers and celery and cook, stirring, until they are lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for three minutes. Add the ham, sausage and salt pork. Cook for five minutes.
Add the beans and add enough shrimp or chicken broth to cover. Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper.
Add the thyme, basil and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, for about two hours, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender.
Add more water or broth if the mixture becomes dry. If you like the beans to be creamy, puree about one-third of the beans in a food processor, in batches, and return to the pot.
Cook for another 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve hot, garnished with green onions and parsley, over rice.