This is a dish I've been slowly perfecting over the last few months. My red beans and rice is not fully typical, but it is getting really delish. Plus, it is cheap and the amounts below will make between 4-6 meals. You can always halve it if you want less. Anyway, I'm posting this in celebration of Mardi Gras! Enjoy!

2 cups of (uncooked) basmatti rice
2 cans of kidney beans
1-2 cans of diced tomatos
14oz (1 link) of smoked sausage or kielbasa, diced
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup pepper (red, yellow and/or green), chopped
Salt, pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper to taste

1) Get the rice on first. You might want to wait about 10-15 minutes to start the next steps if you want to time it well.

2) Start simmering beans in flavored liquid, such as chicken stock, plus a big pinch of salt. Do not bring to a rapid boil.

3) Prep all the veggies and meat. Once everything is chopped up, throw veggies into a medium hot pan with vegetable oil, and briefly saute them with a pinch of salt. Stir in the meat and add some thyme, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.

4) After about 3-5 minutes, drain the tomatoes and add them to the pan. Let those cook down for a few more minutes.

5) Drain the beans and add them to the pan. At this point, you are mainly just waiting for the rice to finish and to make sure all the ingredients have a chance to soak in all the flavors.

6) Once the rice is done, it is ready to serve!

7) Pig out!