Hi friends! I’m back with another installment of what I’m calling Cooking Through My Books, in which I try to utilize the cookbooks I already have instead of scouring the internet for another recipe I’ll never be able to find again if I want to make it again.

Tonight’s recipe comes from the Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook, and is New Orleans Red Beans and Rice.

I remember purchasing this book over a decade ago, and I’m almost 100% certain I have never actually used it. (Hence the need for this experiment.) We are using what we have and limiting scroll time!

Admittedly, I have made red beans & rice before, but it’s been a long time.

Let’s dive into my thoughts.

The Good :

This is a hearty recipe. It’s filling, and doesn’t require a lot of random ingredients, which made it budget friendly.

My husband and I really enjoyed this one.

The Bad :

There wasn’t a ton of flavor, in our opinion. It needed some zing so I added some vinegar and extra hot sauce just to give it a little flair because it fell quite flat, flavor wise. My youngest made herself something different, she didn’t like it at all.

However, because this was such a filling and wallet friendly meal – I know that it’s one that I can come back to. (I’d probably skip the ham hocks and just do ham steak or kielbasa for a little more meatier dish.)

All in all, it was meh – but it has definite potential.

What are you having for dinner? Leave a comment below and let me know!

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