Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less: Hearty Kielbasa and Rice

Need a fast and nutritious recipe for dinner tonight? This recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less! Try Hearty Kielbasa and Rice: Polish sausage, kidney beans, tomatoes, and rice make a nutritious and substantial meal fast! Serve this main dish in individual soup bowls with tortilla chips or whole-wheat crackers. Pair with carrot and celery sticks for crunch and vitamins. And remember, kids (and grown-ups!) love the mini carrot sticks found in your grocer's vegetable aisle. Hearty Kielbasa and Rice leftovers are great to take to work the next day. On a budget? Forget about expensive take-out. This recipe is easy, fast, tasty, and inexpensive, too.

Ingredients:

¼ cup chopped onion (available in most grocery stores already chopped - or chop your own)

1 package (10-12 ounces) kielbasa (Polish sausage)

1 tablespoon margarine or butter (for sautéing)

1 can (14-16 ounces) chopped tomatoes (undrained)

1 can (14-16 ounces) light red kidney beans (drained)

1 cups quick rice (not regular)

¼ to ½ cup water

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)

Chop onion (if not purchased chopped) and cut up kielbasa into 1" pieces. On low/medium heat, in a skillet sauté kielbasa and onion with margarine or butter until onions are clear and soft. Do not scorch or burn. Add the can of undrained chopped tomatoes, the can of drained light kidney beans, rice, water, and Italian seasoning. Continue stirring and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer 5 to 8 minutes to allow quick rice to cook and soften. Most of the water should be absorbed by the rice. If necessary, add more water but not too much.

Quick rice usually takes about 5 minutes to cook. If you prefer to use regular rice (or you do not have quick rice on your pantry shelf), pre-cook the rice and add the cooked rice when you add the tomatoes, beans, water, and seasoning. Regular rice takes about 20 minutes to cook so you should consider this when planning your meal.

You can also substitute good-quality hot dogs for the kielbasa. If you like, you can add more or less Italian seasoning. Try this recipe using Cajun seasoning or chili powder. It changes the whole "taste" of the dish! If you need to "stretch" the recipe, add more rice or beans. I like light red kidney beans, but you can substitute dark red or black beans.

We all need to save money in this economy and this dish is a budget-friendly hearty and nutritious meal. Need dinner in 30 minutes or less? Try Hearty Kielbasa and Rice!