Quick Cajun Red Beans & Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts chicken broth (divided)
4 (16 ounce) cans red beans
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
to taste cajun seasoning or hot sauce
1 lb smoked sausage
1/2 lb bacon
1 medium onion
1 medium bell pepper
2 teaspoons garlic
3 cups instant rice

Preparation

Slice sausage and dice onion, bell pepper, and bacon.
Drain and rinse beans.
Add 1 quart + 1 cup of stock to large (5 quart) pot, as well as red beans and all seasonings except garlic.
Bring beans to boil for 15 minutes then use a masher to break apart the beans.
While the beans are boiling -- Brown sausage & bacon in a skillet. Remove meat from skillet but leave the drippings.
Saute onion & bell pepper in skillet until onions are translucent. Add garlic in last few minutes.
Add meat, onion, pepper, garlic, & drippings to the pot.
Simmer for 15 more minutes, then serve with rice.
Add remaining 3 cups to rice cooking pot and prepare rice as directed by instructions.