Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 T finely minced garlic
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 T Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, more or less to taste depending on how spicy you want it. 
• 2 cans red beans, or 3 cups cooked red beans
• 8 links  Amylu Chicken Andouille Sausage 
• 8 cups homemade chicken stock 
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. Green Tabasco Sauce 
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups cooked white rice, plus more for serving if desired. 

Directions

1. Warm the oil in the slow cooker insert if it has a browning setting; otherwise, use a skillet on the stove. Add the onion and cook, stirring now and then, until it begins to take on color, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, and keep sautéing for about 2 minutes more. If you used a skillet, scrape everything into the slow cooker now.
3. Pour the canned beans into a colander in the sink, rinse them under cold water until the foamy bubbles are gone, and leave them to drain. Once the excess water has run off, add the beans to the slow cooker. You can use 3 cups of pre-cooked beans instead.
4. Slice the sausage (Amylu Chicken Andouille Sausage) into rounds or half-moons, then put it in the slow cooker.
5. Pour in the homemade chicken stock, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Follow with the Green Tabasco Sauce and bay leaves.
6. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours, or set it to low for 7-8 hours.
7. While the slow cooker does its thing, prepare the rice in a rice cooker or follow the package instructions.
8. After the soup has cooked about 4 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low, mix in 2 cups cooked white rice.
9. If it looks thicker than you want, pour in a little more water or chicken stock, then cook on high for another 20-30 minutes.
10. Serve the soup hot. Put out extra cooked rice and Green Tabasco Sauce so everyone can add them at the table if desired.