Indulge in a hot plate of Southern home cooking while in the company of your favorite crowd. Make your night memorable with these large-batch meals featuring our favorite Cajun flavors, such as jambalaya, gumbo, and crawfish. They will fill your stomach and warm your heart!

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 - cups dry red beans (1-1/2 pounds), rinsed and drained
5 - cups water
3 - cups chopped onions (3 large)
2 - 4 ounce cans (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained
6 - cloves garlic, minced
2 - tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 - 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
2 - cups instant brown rice
2 - medium green sweet peppers, cut into strips
Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place beans in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans.

In a 6-quart slow cooker combine beans, the 5 cups water, the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and Creole seasoning.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 11 to 13 hours or on high-heat setting for 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 hours.
If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in tomatoes, uncooked rice, and sweet peppers. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. If desired, pass bottled hot pepper sauce.

FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

FOR EASY CLEANUP:
Line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.

NUTRITION FACTS (Red Beans Creole)
Per serving: 269 kcal , 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat , 0 g polyunsaturated fat , 0 g monounsaturated fat ), 0 mg chol. , 886 mg sodium , 53 g carb. , 11 g fiber , 5 g sugar , 14 g pro.