Red Beans and Rice (with Sausage)

I had picked up some sausage on sale at the store and needed a quick easy recipe to use it up. I saw this on The Lazy Housewife Cooks, originally from Epicurious. It was a great way to use up the sausage - the Old Bay seasoning really adds a deep flavor - and it was pretty easy to whip together.
Red Beans and Sausage with Rice
serves 4

1 lb cooked sausage, such as kielbasa (I sliced on a heavy bias and cook in a skillet until browned)
1 medium onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, minced (I used 2 stalks)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Old Bay or creole seasoning
2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth

4 cups cooked long-grain white or brown rice

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the sausage until it begins to brown and fat begins to render.
2. Add the onions and celery/pepper/whatever and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and spice(s) and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and the flavors have blended, about 30-45 minutes. The mixture will thicken slightly after the heat is off. 4. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

REVIEW:
The flavors in this were really good, ad I think it would be a great comfort dish in the winter time. The sausage added quite a bit of fat and calories to the meal, but you could easily cut that back to slim in down a bit (or use a chicken sausage). And while it took a little while to make, it was really easy to put together.