Hearty Hoppin’ John Stew

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup brown and wild rice mix
• 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 1/3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, or more to taste
• Salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

Cook and stir sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until meat is still slightly pink, about 8 minutes. Mix celery and onion into sausage; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 more minutes. Stir garlic and red bell pepper into sausage mixture and cook until bell pepper is slightly soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir brown and wild rice mix, black-eyed peas, tomatoes with their juice, chicken stock, and Cajun seasoning into sausage and vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover; simmer 45 minutes. Remove cover, raise heat to medium-low, and simmer until stew is thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.