Easy Crock Pot Dinner (omg, SO yum)

Amy's Easy Sausage "Chili"

1 lb mixed dried beans, rinsed (like whatever you would use in mixed bean soup)
1-2T oil (any kind: olive, canola, safflower, whatever)
garlic (to taste...at least 1-2 cloves)
1 onion, chopped fine
small can (the tiny ones) of tomato paste (I like Contadina)
1 lb andouille sausage (or other very flavorful sausage) cut into small chunks
salt, pepper, 2 bay leaves, dried thyme, tarragon, cayenne, tabasco

Start this in the morning for an early supper...

Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the onions are transparent (not carmelized), add the dried beans and the tomato paste and stir to coat in the pan. Sautee (stir often) about 3 more minutes. When this mixture starts smelling REALLY good, transfer the bean mixture to the crock pot.

Add the sausage chunks to the crock pot and cover with about 3/4" to 1" of water.

Add seasonings to taste...I probably use about 1T of salt, 1/2T of pepper, 2 bay leaves, 1T dried powdered thyme, 2tsp tarragon, 2tsp cayenne, heavy dash of Chipotle Tabasco, whatever you like.

Cover the crock and cook on low 10 hours or on high 4-6 hours. If it comes out thicker than you like, add some water and stir through.

Serve with tortilla chips or bagel chips and top with a dollop of sour cream (if you like) and/or shredded cheddar

You will thank me......