RED BEANS AND RICE

Ingredients:
2 cups dried red beans
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound Andouille or Kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
*2 teaspoon salt
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Direction:
1. Pick over the dried beans, and soak them in water overnight.
2. The next day, drain off the soaking water, and place the bean in a covered pot, cover the beans with cold water and stir in first 7 ingredients.
3. Simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally, check your water level adding more hot water to keep beans from burning.
4. Discard bay leaf stir in sausage, *salt and season to taste and simmer for an addition hour or until beans are soft.
5. Mash some of the beans (1/2 cup) against the side of the pot to make a creamy sauce and serve over rice.
*Add salt only after the beans our fully cooked