Not Yo' Mamma's Red Beans

Directions

1) Day 1: Rinse beans, place in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 3 or 4 inches.

Soak overnight in the refrigerator.

As the beans absorb the water, they will more than double in volume.

2) Day 2: Combine the seasoning mix ingredients (salt, onion powder, basil, garlic powder, mustard, black pepper, white pepper, oregano and cayenne) in a small bowl.

Drain and rinse the beans. Drain again and set aside.

3) Preheat a heavy 5-quart pot, preferably nonstick, over high heat for about 4 minutes.

(If using a lighter pot, use lower heat.)

Add 2 cups of the onions, bell pepper, celery and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix.

Stir and cook until vegetables start to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add ½ cup of the chicken stock, scrape the bottom of the pot to clear all browned bits, and cook 3 minutes.

4) Add the remaining onions, stir, and cook 5 minutes.

Add the drained beans, 5 cups of the stock, and the remaining seasoning mix.

Stir and cook for 45 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally to check for sticking and reducing heat if mixture is boiling too rapidly.

5) Add 1 cup grape juice and continue to cook for 25 minutes.

Caution: At this point, the starches in the beans start to break down and sticking will occur more often.

It is therefore important to check and clear the bottom of the pot frequently.

Add the remaining stock and grape juice, turn the heat to medium, and cook until the beans are tender, and the liquid is thick and begins to look creamy, about 30 to 35 minutes.

6) Serve over the hot rice.